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Hospice Arguments Against Euthanasia

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In the United States, nine states criminalize assisted suicide through common law. Alabama is among one of those states. Only Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and California have legalized physician- assisted suicide (Emanuel). According to Oxford English Dictionary, Euthanasia is defined as "A gentle and easy death" (Oxford). It would benefit the state of Alabama to enact euthanasia laws because a person should not have to suffer unnecessary pain, Hospice only prolongs impending death, and Medicare expenditures would decrease significantly. The death process is not identical in every person, but the same ultimate fate is inevitable. Everyone experiences some sort of pain in their life, but the pain that comes along with a terminal illness can be unbearable. On average, the pre-active phase of dying may last approximately two weeks, and could include the following: withdrawal from friends and family, sleep changes, extreme uncontrollable pain, weakness, and appetite changes. The active, or end-phase of dying lasts about three days and could include the following: loss of bladder or bowel control, changes in breathing patterns, cyanosis, described as …show more content…

The difference between hospitalization and Hospice is the administration of treatment. Hospice care only treats symptoms and focuses on pain management instead of seeking a cure to a terminal illness. A person that is put on Hospice care is usually given only six months to live. It seems like cruel punishment to prolong the miserable suffering life of a person that is past the point of no return and simply wants to die in peace. Although licensed personnel can give higher doses of pain medication to lessen the suffering, they can be prosecuted in Alabama if the doses are lethal, and patients may not be able to communicate their pain to the appropriate authoritative

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