This is a difficult one. In general, I am against euthenasia and suicide.
These are really two different subjects. Most of the time I look upon
suicide and suicide attempts as symptomatic of depression, a medical and
psychological illness which can be treated. For euthenasia, I can see
only one general set of circumstances in which it could be allowed. First
off, the patient has to ask for it in a state while they are "of sound
mind". I don't know how to judge when someone is "of sound mind" but it
seems to me that this is something that a person would need a good while
to think about during a time when they could actually concentrate on it,
appreciate the reprecussions and reasonably evaluate the alternatives.
Secondly, the euthenasia option would only be allowed when the patient is
on death's door. That is, the patient has been diagnosed as having some
short amount of time left to live, perhaps something on the order of a few
days to a week. Thirdly, the patient must be experiencing severe,
prolonged, physical pain. All of these conditions having been met this,
the physician should be allowed to perscribe sufficient pain medication to
cause a cessation of the patient's pain, even if that may exceed normal
dosage. If a lethal dose is what is required to stop the pain, if the
patient has previously given the ok for such a dose, and if the patient's
chances for recovery (such that the prolonged, sever pain will moderate
or cease and the patient will have a longer projected time (months?) to
live) are nil, then a lethal dose should be allowed. My understanding is
that this sort of thing goes on regularly in the current environment. I
think that allowing euthenasia under less strict circumstances is
potentially allowing murder and that the patient, under those
circumstances, would likely be better served by psychological
assistance.