Should Euthanasia (mercy killing) be legalized?


Euthanasia is refers to the practice in medicine where the terminally ill-patients are assisted to end their lives in painless manner. This is also known as mercy killing. There are two categories of euthanasia, namely; voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. In voluntary euthanasia, the life of the patient is ended after he or she gives a consent whereas in involuntary euthanasia, the physician’s medical evaluation and the consent of close relatives is arrived at because of the extreme pain on the patient plus high medical bills that accumulate. Many people today have had loved ones who were patients agonizing with terminal illness to the extent they are affected economically and psychologically. In considering these facts, legalizing euthanasia would be a great relieve to ensure the terminally ill have a choice to die with dignity.
            Euthanasia is a controversial topic in the contemporary society; with religion advocating for sanctity of life whereas activists propose its legalization arguing on life of choice and death with dignity. Many patients suffer from unbearable pain and reach to a condition of indignity simply because of extreme suffering that can be assisted via euthanasia. Such patients are incurable and should be given the choice to die and alleviate the extreme suffering through assisted suicide by the doctors. Booth Gardner, who was once a governor in Washington, strongly argues for legalizing euthanasia so that terminally ill patients can have a choice when to die. On his argument, Gardner proposes, “It is my right as a human being to decide for myself.” Kingsbury  further argues that, over 80 percent of Americans agree with Gardner because euthanasia is the sensible practice for the hopeless cases.
            If one takes a walk around most hospital wards, he or she is likely to be psychologically traumatized because of the appalling sight he or she encounters. Terminally ill patients endure extreme suffering coupled with pain such that the quality of life they live is extremely dehumanizing. Even with administering pain-relieving drugs, these patients loose their independence emotionally as well as their physical strength. The only option for them is to die, but euthanasia is so far away from them because of the laws against euthanasia. By legalizing euthanasia, “the right to die” would be a choice and further would ensure patients do not live dehumanizing lives with terminal diseases. Many a people after seeing their pets undergo extreme suffering when ill, they exercise mercy killing so that the pets’ miseries are gone. To ensure people live quality lives, legalizing physician-assisted euthanasia is the only chance the society has today.
            The terminally ill are at times sustained by life-machines where the relatives shoulder the expensive medical bills yet the patients die later leaving them deprived economically, psychologically, and emotionally. Funds that a family could have spent on other issues are like development and education is spent in vain. The doctors have to spend many hours on these patients even when they know they can do little for them. Very many other patients who have hope of living given their conditions, and thus should be attended by these doctors. Kingsbury indicates, “Financial pressures motivate too many important health care decisions.” Euthanasia should therefore be legalized in health care so that human and economic resources can be wisely spent on areas that help the society instead of investing in losses.
            In summary, legalizing euthanasia though it will interfere with the sanctity of life, it would give the contemporary society a choice in dignified death, alleviate dehumanizing quality of life, and ease burden on economic and human resources. Moreover, it is important to grant the terminally ill patients their dying wish legalizing euthanasia for dignity in death.

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