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Legalization of physician-assisted euthanasia across the country would simply provide loopholes for citizens to commit suicide and homicide, both of which are criminal acts.

What is worse than the acceptance of euthanasia by a society, is what the practice itself could lead to. What if - under special circumstances - a severely depressed individual were allowed to choose a medical mercy killing? If the prognosis of certain cases of depression were stamped "incurable", such a terminally-ill patient might sign a donor card, making their sacrifice of self a benefit to humanity - an honorable death.

In the satirical novel "Boomsday", the main character Cassandra Devine proposes tax breaks for Boomer seniors who end their lives by age seventy-five, for the sake of social security. In her vindictive tone, she refers to the pension-supported elderly as "self-indulgent, aging Boomers who are wrecking the U.S. economy and economically enslaving the next generation." Clearly over the top, but once comparable attitudes reach the mainstream of industrialized societies, a flood of pro-euthanasia legislation will be just around the corner.

The Oregon Death with Dignity Act "allows terminally-ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose." Some might argue that this should not be considered euthanasia, but regardless of whether or not the "physician who has primary responsibility for the care of the patient" was present during the time of death or not, a "lethal" dose was administered to the patient. Outside of the framework of this legislation, a physician is providing the means by which a patient may commit suicide.

Euthanasia is doctor-assisted suicide. Such activities in the field of medicine should not be allowed to gain momentum, because they go against the grain of civilized patient care. And leave the door open for much worse manifestations of controversial medical procedures to enter societies.

Learn more about this author, Nikolaus Federmann.
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