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assisted suicide is legal. While it was anticipated that this revolutionary law would cause the elderly and sickly to flock to Oregon, this has not been the case. The prerequisites that an individual must meet to be eligible are not easy to obtain; they must have a diagnosis from two doctors, a six-month or less prognosis, and they must be mentally able to make the decision themselves. The procedure itself allows a doctor to mix a barbiturate solution for the patient to drink, resulting in a quick and painless death. The patient decides where and when, and can back out at any point up until drinking the poison. Is this, however, ethical?

In all honesty, I do not know my stance on these issues. I will be faced with them one day, but I do not believe I can truly judge my opinion until I am put into the situation. I believe these issues are universal. We all want to be in control of as much as possible, including our deaths. But there is a limit that exists. We do not want to face our own mortality. And facing these issues throws our ultimate demise into our faces. So, what do I think now? I would have to say that euthanasia is humane and permissible, in certain situations. I do not think it is okay to euthanize children with defects, but I feel that it offers, if nothing else, a sense of security for those who may be near death. To reduce the fear of prolonged suffering is a gift, an ease on the already troubled mind of a terminally ill patient. But what would I desire if I were placed in that situation? How can I fathom the pressures felt by such persons? It is up to the patient to decide how they feel at the time. For, without the mind, life is meaningless.

Learn more about this author, Ryan Yost.
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