Opinion

Maybe it's time to discuss end-of-life options

Posted April 02, 2019 1:00 am

A friend of mine passed away several years ago. Among her many far-out ideas was her "purple pill" which, she assured me, she would take if life got unbearable.

I decided to do some research on final options. The first aid-in-dying law in the USA was passed in Oregon in 1994; six more states and Washington, D.C., have followed. They all require physician assistance, usually two physicians, self-administration of drugs and strict time intervals to guard against impulsiveness.

Is it moral? I think so, but I'm not sure. My Catholic upbringing tells me that only God can make the life/death decision. If someone is writhing in pain I think morpheme should be used, and lethal doses, if necessary. If I were writhing in pain, I would want that relief.

But what if I were severely depressed? Would I be able to make an intelligent decision?

Perhaps it's time to discuss final options.

Frank Goetz

Wheaton

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