I’m glad I read that article, thanks Olap! Very thought provoking and a good mix of perspectives. Strange to read journalism like that now-a-days.

I may be naive or uninformed here because it’s not a topic I have any real knowledge, but this is what I think:

As long as there’s sufficient protections in place to ensure this law can’t be abused by a future arsehole government, to prevent state murder in an attempt to “cull undesirables”. And sufficient protections to ensure patients truly want to die and aren’t just having a low moment (i.e. mental health support) then it’s their life and they should have the choice to live it or not.

The point about normalising assisted dying however is a good one and again there must be protections put in place to ensure people aren’t pushed into assisted dying through guilt or manipulation (from family and friends or doctors and nurses).

An able bodied person already has the right to end their life, because there’s nothing the government can do to stop them jumping off a bridge, overdosing, whatever. The terminally ill unable to do that deserve the right to choose as well.

Our current laws are based upon the Christian sin of suicide, but we’re not all Christian. The law and government must act secularly. If suicide is against your religion, take it up with your priest or God, the law should not be involved.