Actually, I want to dig a little bit deeper into this topic and spread some awareness about the facts of assisted suicide. Take
this survey for example. 20% of people think suicide is morally acceptable while 53% of people think
assisted suicide is morally acceptable. So in other words: add a doctor to the whole process and it's fine for the majority. So a large percentage of the population is actually in favor of the right to die, look at this
survey from Switzerland. People want autonomy over their exit. But the problem is: nobody is pushing for any legislation. Nobody cares.
We could legalize assisted suicide in many countries and improve the already existing situation in countries like Switzerland, Belgium and Netherlands - because right now
only people who are already dying are allowed to leave with assisted suicide in these countries. That's the current situation. The myth of it being super accessible and liberal in Switzerland, for example, is simply wrong. You need to be old as fuck, experience unbearable pain or have a terminal illness that is gonna kill you soon anyway. So in other words: you basically can't leave if you're not gonna die very soon, as tragic as this sounds. We need to change that system but the politicians and doctors block it. Over and over again. Just recently in 2018, the Swiss Academy of Medical Science (a scientific organization) tried to do that in Switzerland and basically open up assisted suicide to everyone who is simply 'suffering', in simple terms. But we failed because the Association of Swiss Doctors voted against it. Look
here, the whole case is explained in this article. Because it would be "irresponsible" to grant access to assisted suicide to young people who aren't necessary suffering from a terminal disease, according to these doctors. It's really stupid and I am so disappointed by these people who think they have the authority over life but that's just how it is, right now. People think they can take away that autonomy over peoples life. As a Swiss person who would love to go with the support and approval of doctors, so I can leave in an 'official way' and maybe even surrounded by some people - who knows, it's simply frustrating.
Let's talk about the current alternative: if people ever decide to leave, it has to happen in secret and in many cases they have to go with a very risky method that has a serious potential of failing and leave them with permanent (brain) damage. Nobody wants to put themselves at such a risk. I am lucky enough to have a very decent method so this risk is basically 0 for me, but for others it isn't. But even I have to leave secretly and 'alone' in a hotel room. Does that sound like a decent way to go? No, I don't think so. And we didn't even talk about the aspect of dignity. I think people deserve to leave in peace and dignity. That can't happen if someone has to hang themselves in the closet and maybe even put their family or friends through a very traumatizing experience. If people could leave with the approval of doctors and maybe with Nembutal, as most assisted suicide organizations are handling it right now, that would definitely come a lot closer to a dignified death. People could leave while being surrounded by family and friends and with zero risk of surviving with some serious consequences.
And I'm not even talking about the fact that we commit a crime if we import certain drugs that could guarantee a peaceful death. The whole legal aspect that basically criminalized people who simply want to leave with a decent method and I'm not just talking about Nembutal but also Fentanyl and Heroin - and it's really sad but these are the options people are pushed into. Because they are comparable to Nembutal when it comes to painless and peaceful options. So there are very serious legal implications nobody is talking about.
Another issue: the suicide rate is rising in many developed countries. So making it "illegal" (in the sense that you get thrown into a mental hospital which is basically a prison for mentally ill people) or creating a stigma around it in an attempt to scare the shit out of people who want to commit suicide doesn't help either. It doesn't reduce suicide. It doesn't make people seek help more frequently because of the fear to end up in a mental hospital if they open up to a doctor or psychiatrist. All it does is making people commit suicide with less safe, less sane and less reliable methods. If society wants to decrease suicide and harm, well - congrats. You achieved the opposite of your goals. You played yourself really well.
That's my approach to suicide and my criticism of the current system. Here is a visualization of the survey I've mentioned above to highlight the hypocrisy of people:
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