Legalize assisted suicide? Be careful what you wish for

Results from today’s Globe poll:












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The Dutch and Belgian practises have become a horror story:

"Over the past two decades, the Netherlands has moved from assisted suicide to euthanasia, from euthanasia for the terminally ill to euthanasia for the chronically ill, from euthanasia for physical illness to euthanasia for psychological distress and from voluntary euthanasia to nonvoluntary and involuntary euthanasia." Herbert.Hendin MD

Some statistics from this report on the Netherlands:

2,300 people died as the result of doctors killing them upon request (active, voluntary euthanasia).
400 people died as a result of doctors providing them with the means to kill themselves (physician-assisted suicide).
1,040 people (an average of 3 per day) died from involuntary euthanasia, meaning that doctors actively killed these patients without the patients' knowledge or consent.
14% of these patients were fully competent.
72% had never given any indication that they would want their lives terminated.
In 8% of the cases, doctors performed involuntary euthanasia despite the fact that they believed alternative options were still possible.

In my opinion, if you want to kill yourself, go right ahead. But it should remain a crime for anyone to "assist". The state’s involvement (outside of criminalizing it) will eventually lead to legalized murder. The Dutch experience proves that. And in our country the medical system is a highly politicized state monopoly - a monopoly that is perpetually looking for ways to cut costs. Allowing the state the option of killing patients is highly dangerous. And I know, I know, this already happens in many (if not all) hospitals but let's not give them legal cover to expand the practice "Dutch style".