Should suicide pills be available to everyone?

[NeoLogic26]

It's always cute to see small minds use bigger text in an attempt to conceal their lack of arguments  

Funny PLU! There are so many arguements that it just isn't worth going into. But thanks for being an asshole. That just proves the lack of thought you put into your post.
As to the OP question:
No
1) abuse
2) illegal use
3) suicide on a whimp, I don't think so
4) There are many alternatives to a suicide pill. Lets not add yet another way for people to make a mistake.

That is not to say that I disagree with assisted suicide. I do agree with a very regulated well thought out process for assisted suicide.
So just because I used a larger font and bolded my answer in no way means that I have a small mind or that I have no agruements concealed or otherwise.
You fucking idiot!!!!!!

The point is all your arguments are strawmen because they have already been addressed and discarded. The way a suicide pill "program", for lack of a better word, would be implemented would specifically work to prevent abuse, illegal use and suicide on a whim by having the screening process weed out those people who just want an easy way to punch their own (or someone else's) ticket. You'll notice somebody posted early in the thread that they thought it should be OTC and that was immediately shot down for obvious reasons. There is some thought going into this.

As to your last point, I think most proponents of legal assisted/unassisted suicide would agree that lessening pain and suffering is a good thing so although there may be many alternative ways to kill yourself, I think you'll agree that many of them are painful and cause even more suffering for those who have to find the body in whatever state it's in. Not to say that families wouldn't suffer from a loved one committing a legal assisted suicide, but they certainly wouldn't be surprised by the outcome.

[Plu]

Pretty much the above. You basically agree with everyone here exept you're being a dick about it, mycob.

[mediumaevum]

It's always cute to see small minds use bigger text in an attempt to conceal their lack of arguments  

Funny PLU! There are so many arguements that it just isn't worth going into. But thanks for being an asshole. That just proves the lack of thought you put into your post.

You didn't put forth ANY arguments AT ALL!

You are no better than those religious fundamentalists that, when they are confronted with reality, they just assess their position by a simple statement, no argumentation needed for their cause.

As to the OP question:
No
1) abuse
2) illegal use

Cars, kitchen knives, forks and even spoons can easily be abused to kill other people.
So what do you suggest we do? Prohibit cars, knives, forks and spoons?

3) suicide on a whimp, I don't think so

Again, you have no argumentation to back up your "I don't think so"-statement!

4) There are many alternatives to a suicide pill. Lets not add yet another way for people to make a mistake.

There are indeed alternatives. Just like there are alternatives to cars: You could ride on a horse or have a horse-driven cart.
Or you could walk. But cars are way better for transportation, they are faster and more reliable. It's just so with suicide pills.

That is not to say that I disagree with assisted suicide. I do agree with a very regulated well thought out process for assisted suicide.

Why?
Why should the government/state regulate a human being's right to its own death?

Its the individual's body, not the body of the government!

[Hijiri Byakuren]

I would just like to point out a couple of things:

• As far as poisoning someone's food or drink, suicide pills are peanuts compared to the chemicals most folks keep under their sink.
• While you could swap out someone's medicine with suicide pills, the same could be said of sleep aids.

My reasoning for keeping suicide pills reserved for the terminally ill is that it would be too easy for a mentally unstable, suicidal individual to get hold of them. The suicide rate is quite high as it is; we don't need to help it along.

[Plu]

Why should the government/state regulate a human being's right to its own death?

Because people are whimsical and not always thinking straight, and need a bit of protection against themselves.

[mediumaevum]

Why should the government/state regulate a human being's right to its own death?

Because people are whimsical and not always thinking straight, and need a bit of protection against themselves.

But how is the government in any way in a better position to say IT is thinking straight on behalf of the suicidal individual in question?

For one, we must admit that nobody knows anyone better than the individual in question, because the individual is the one living its life.

[Plu]

That's bull. It's quite possible to objectively detect that people are emotionally disturbed, mentally damaged, or otherwise not thinking straight.

Try drinking a bottle of vodka some day and then come back and tell us that the invididual always most knows what's best for him.

[mykcob4]

Pretty much the above. You basically agree with everyone here exept you're being a dick about it, mycob.

Oh Iam being a dick.
One poster responded with no less than 6 "Nos" and nothing esle, yet you said nothing. You decided that you would personally attack me and now you're calling ME a dick.
Fuck you Plu!
I don't agree that my reasons are strawman arguments at all. They haven't been "shot down" only argued against.
I feel assisted suicide is valid. Having a suicide pill available to anyone with professionals to prevent against abuse, murder, mistakes is irresponsible.
I'll quit cussing at you as soon as you end the personal attacks.
Look in the mirror Plu.
NO isn't an attack or being a dick, it's a valid response.
What you posted to and about me IS a personal unwarranted attack.

[mykcob4]

Why should the government/state regulate a human being's right to its own death?

Because people are whimsical and not always thinking straight, and need a bit of protection against themselves.

But how is the government in any way in a better position to say IT is thinking straight on behalf of the suicidal individual in question?

For one, we must admit that nobody knows anyone better than the individual in question, because the individual is the one living its life.

1) The government isn't interested in telling people that they can't kill themselves or shouldn't be.
2) All government regulation means is having qualified professional people make sure that there isn't abuse, mistakes, etc... involved in the process.

There is an unwarranted disproportional fear of the government that makes no sense whatsoever. Probably due to conservative propaganda, ignorance, lack of education, religiousity, and plain old stupidity.

[NeoLogic26]

I don't agree that my reasons are strawman arguments at all. They haven't been "shot down" only argued against.

Hypothetically, if those reasons could be addressed to your satisfaction, would you support the premise that a suicide pill should be available?

I feel assisted suicide is valid. Having a suicide pill available to anyone with professionals to prevent against abuse, murder, mistakes is irresponsible.

How are these different in your mind? What if the pill had to be taken at an approved site so that it couldn't be obtained and taken somewhere else to be put to a use not intended?

[mykcob4]

I don't agree that my reasons are strawman arguments at all. They haven't been "shot down" only argued against.

Hypothetically, if those reasons could be addressed to your satisfaction, would you support the premise that a suicide pill should be available?

I feel assisted suicide is valid. Having a suicide pill available to anyone with professionals to prevent against abuse, murder, mistakes is irresponsible.

How are these different in your mind? What if the pill had to be taken at an approved site so that it couldn't be obtained and taken somewhere else to be put to a use not intended?

Sure if the reasons could be addressed and not to MY specific satisfaction. I am nobody. The ones you'd have to satify is society at large, but even more importantly the Constitution.
The thing is that the Constitution allows any and all rights that are not legislated against by a Constitutional law. But it also marks out a general and sometimes specific responsiblity of the government. Therefore you'd have to satisfy LAW thats sole aim is to protect the individual rights and also the individual.
My original response of NO was because the discussion of this issue is so conviluted that I could not devote enough time to actually respond and the research needed is extinsive.
We couldn't map out every scenerio, variable, situation, that it would take to actually debate the issue. Even the side that one would take would be up in the air because it couldn't be well defined.
My "NO" was a declaration of caution more than anything else.
I uphold that all and every have a right to do what they want and or need without subjection to scrutiny unless otherwise forbidden by legal constitutional law. With the exception that the decission to do such things is responsible to the society in general and is not guided by an  underage, unbalanced, or impared mind.
So suicide in any form is a choice by an individual. Assisted suicide is an area that needs to be looked at for many many reasons.

[mediumaevum]

I wanted a suicide pill because I felt that was faster, easier and more reliable.

But since political debates can take a very long time and often results in nothing, and that
this topic alone proves that it will end up in nothing at all, I am forced to look for other methods.

Whilst I am afraid of death, I am even more afraid of life.

[mykcob4]

I wanted a suicide pill because I felt that was faster, easier and more reliable.

But since political debates can take a very long time and often results in nothing, and that
this topic alone proves that it will end up in nothing at all, I am forced to look for other methods.

Whilst I am afraid of death, I am even more afraid of life.

I suspected as much. As a person of some age with vast experiences in depression among other things, I would advise you that suicide is too conclusive an answer.
You may have a sense of loss or be suffering from chronic pain or have what you believe to be a ligitimate reason to commit suicide. You may also just have a fascination with death. Whatever the reason, you need a complete stranger that is qualified to see what is the cause and reasoning behind your desire to commit suicide.
You need to find someone that isn't dedicated in talking you in or out of your decission, but rather can access clearly your thoughts.
You need help. I thought intially that when you started this thread it was a cry for help. It nagged in the back of my mind. I was lazy and answered your OP with an emphatic NO! For that I was insulted. Of course I don't care about insults to or about me, that isn't the issue. I am kicking myself for not recognizing what you were really asking for in your OP.
You obviously were trying to connect, grasping for insight on what was really on your mind.
Is life tough? Sure, but death is final!

[SilentFutility]

I would just like to point out a couple of things:

• As far as poisoning someone's food or drink, suicide pills are peanuts compared to the chemicals most folks keep under their sink.
• While you could swap out someone's medicine with suicide pills, the same could be said of sleep aids.

My reasoning for keeping suicide pills reserved for the terminally ill is that it would be too easy for a mentally unstable, suicidal individual to get hold of them. The suicide rate is quite high as it is; we don't need to help it along.

Yes, but a suicide pill is a reasonably guaranteed lethal dosage of something in a single pill that could be powdered and has at least a chance of going undetected. Drinking lots of bleach would also be potentially fatal, but I like to think that if I was drinking a pint glass of water that had been replaced by bleach I'd notice. It would also be difficult to substitute medication to make someone kill themselves unless they took vast amounts of medication in a day, what other pill would you substitute in that would be lethal in a single dose? Granted, it isn't impossible, but it requires a fairly concerted effort and consideration, whereas buying a guaranteed lethal dose in pill-form that is manufactured properly in a factory and looks exactly like other pills produced by pharmaceutical companies would make it very easy.

Of course, people can concoct their own poisonous substances, but likewise people can manufacture their own very effective firearms with a decent home workshop. My point is that just because it is possible to circumvent them, it does not mean that all barriers in the way of doing something should be removed. This is irrespective of my stance on the assisted suicide debate (I think people should have the right to have a doctor end their lives if they are of sound mind).

[Colanth]

Yes, but a suicide pill is a reasonably guaranteed lethal dosage of something in a single pill that could be powdered and has at least a chance of going undetected.

I'd hope that if suicide pills were to become legal they'd have to be (by law) so bitter that no one would take one by mistake.  And that they'd have some unique chemical tracer, so a postmortem exam (the coroner) would have no trouble detecting that the person died by suicide pill.