News @lemmy.world Salamendacious @lemmy.world 8 mo. ago

Michigan Democrats eye legalizing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill

www.bridgemi.com Michigan Democrats eye legalizing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill | Bridge Michigan

A ‘death with dignity’ bill package introduced in the Michigan Senate last week would allow people with less than six months to live to request a prescription for life-ending medication.

Michigan Senate Democrats propose bills legalizing physician-assisted death for terminally ill patients
The concept, legalized in 10 states and Washington, D.C., remains controversial
Supporters say it gives terminally ill patients more autonomy. Critics argue it’s ‘not the compassionate answer’

25 comments

My body my choice, I say. I should be able to have physician assisted suicide at any point if I choose it.
- I believe you mean if your physician so chooses it. And they likely won't unless there's a good reason to do so.
  
  No they meant if they choose it. My body my choice.
No free healthcare though.
- https://stateofreform.com/featured/2023/09/rep-carrie-rheingans-introduces-bill-that-would-establish-universal-healthcare-in-michigan/
  
  I hope that happens. We have been trying to do it here in Washington (as mentioned in the article) but we cannot Constitutionally have an income tax. I think the last initiative trying to pass it had a mix of payroll taxes and capital gains taxes.
  
  Well that shut me the fuck up! Hell yes!
- And this is an important point.
  
  Without free healthcare, assisted suicide becomes an economic choice.
  
  Pull the plug doc I'm in pain is what we want. Not pull the plug doc, my family will never be able to pay these bills!
- That would be great, but there is no reason one should be dependent on the other.
  
  Actually, without free healthcare assisted suicide can be as much about economic incentives as will to live.
  
  I.e. wanting to die so your spouse doesn't lose all their retirement paying your medical bills.
Suicide is a human right.
I hope they are able to implement this not just in Michigan but all across the board. I'm not saying suicide is good, but if I were terminally I'll and unable to afford treatment I'd definitely want to go through medically assisted suicide because that, to me, is a lot more humane and compassionate than squeezing every single penny out of a person or not getting treatment at all and slowly withering away.
- I can't imagine having a terminal painful disease and being told that I just have to wait until the end comes. That sounds inhumane to me. Like severe dementia. I have a former coworker who was her mother's only caregiver and her mother was in bad shape. Self injurious and violent. I learned the word "autocoprophagia" from her, which means one who eats their own feces. I'd rather commit suicide than put my loved ones through that.
Now that Kevorkian is dead I guess it's more acceptable to consider legal assisted suicide in Michigan.

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