I don't really understand why some people like forever sleep think it makes a difference, if he sold to minors or not or the fact that he might have sold the stuff for ctb to make a profit. People can be in lots of pain even if they are under the age of 18. Why should they not be allowed to end their suffering? In fact I think people are often in a worse situation, if they are under 18 than people over 18. At least, if you are over 18 you normally have a chance to get away from people who bully or abuse you (even if this might sometimes mean sleeping rough). If you are underage police normally will bring you back to your parents, no matter what. Although in some developped countries with good social services you might be able to convince authorities to remove you from your parent's house, if you are abused. But even in the developped countries this can't be relied on and depends on luck.
It's the same with school and jobs: If you are 18 and over you can at least apply for a different job, if you don't like the one you have or quit and beg or steal (or rely on welfare in some countries) to survive. If you are under 18 you will be forced by your parents or legal guardian to attend school no matter how miserable it is. So, if young and physically healthy people over 18 have the right to die, why should people under 18 who are often in a far worse situation not have the right to die?
It's probably fair to compare Kenneth Law to a drug dealer, but for me that's more of an argument that he shouldn't be punished. I don't think that anyone should be punished for selling drugs anywhere in the world. After all people can decide by themselves, if and what kind of drugs they want to use. And even if taking drugs might not be a permanent solution to ease life, for many people (myself included) it can bring fleeting moments of happyness or temporary relieve from suffering and that is better than nothing. I don't understand why it should be a bad thing to make a profit from selling drugs or selling stuff for ctb, at least not more than it would be to make a profit from selling any other item like food, clothes or whatever else.
It's not that I don't feel sorry for suicidal minors- I was one. I've had ideation since I was 10.
It's a cruel way to do it but- by restricting 'peaceful' methods in general- our governments and societies hope it will push us into reaching out for help I imagine. Of course- they need to provide that (adequate) help and the bigger issue is probably that they don't. But- I get the reasoning. I suppose I feel like I did at least have more pathways open to me when I was 18 than I do now but I concede, not everyone does. Some youngsters have even lost all hope by that point. I don't know how to give them that back but our governments and parents really ought to be working it out! It's their future and responsibility.
I'm not saying youngsters don't feel pain. I fully realise they do. Ages 10-18 were the very worst of my life (to date.) If someone is suicidal as a child, there's a good chance the home environment has something to do with it I imagine. So I suppose my hope is that by age 18, they can move out and get away from that- which helped me at least initially.
I'd also argue that we do tend to react more emotionally and catastrophically when we are young. It's pretty saddening to hear a child killed themselves because they failed a test or split up with their boyfriend/girlfriend. I don't know enough about the brain's development to be able to argue the science but I imagine there's a reason we can't (legally) buy alcohol, cigarettes etc. before a certain age.
Fair enough that you have your own opinions. I don't expect everyone to agree with me. My opinions aren't exactly certain or set in stone either. Sometimes, I can see it from so many different viewpoints that, I can't work out my absolute feelings. It's a difficult subject...
Regarding drugs though- I'm not at all keen. Drugs can ruin people's lives. I know lots of other legal things can too but I've seen enough to think they aren't a good thing. Each to their own if people want to try them but no, I don't think a 12 year old can make a well thought out decision to buy heroin say.
Plus, yes- just by living, we cause suffering to others. The amounts change though. I don't particularly like the idea of people making money selling weapons. I don't like it when our MP's capitalise on a crisis and get their rich mates to provide the PPE in a pandemic and they get a share of the profits. So- no- I don't like it when people directly make money off the suffering and deaths of other people. It just proves to me that this world favours sociopaths. That's what it comes down to ultimately: I can't workout whether he's some champion of autonomy and a provider of mercy or, a fairly cold sociopath who really didn't give a shit whether people died or not or, the manner in which they suffered- I remember one member was likely sold the wrong thing and they suffered but, didn't die. So yeah- I admire mercy killers. I don't admire sociopaths.
