Why euthanasia should be legal

If you’re not aware, euthanasia is the act of intentionally ending a person's life to relieve them from unbearable suffering, usually due to a terminal illness or extreme pain. The term “Euthanasia” has been derived from the two Greek words ‘eu’ and ‘thanatos’, which means ‘good death’.

Everybody came to this life without their consent. I hope you get that. Then I think that at least the decision to let go of this life should be ours. Now, I am not saying that when someone has depression or some extreme mental illness, they should get euthanised, but that would be acceptable to me when that person is suffering from chronic depression for more than 10 years, and there is no option but to die.

There are basically two types of euthanasia:

“Euthanasia involves a doctor ending the patient's life directly, while in assisted suicide, the patient takes the final step themselves, often with medical guidance and support. For example, if someone asks a doctor to help them die, the doctor might prescribe a pill or injection, but the choice to take that stuff resides in the hands of the patient. Both are forms of mercy killing, but differ ethically and legally based on who carries out the act.”

In many cases, doctors will provide people with a drug they can take to end their life. Usually, they prescribe a lethal dose of opioids. In the end, it’s up to the person to decide whether they take the drug.

Let’s go over some reasons why euthanasia should be legal.

1. People have an explicit right to die

You know what’s funny? We spend our whole lives fighting for the right to live, and yet, when someone wants the right to die, suddenly everyone gasps like you’ve just cursed at a funeral.

We talk a lot about dignity when it comes to life, a dignified job, a dignified lifestyle, a dignified marriage, but why can’t we have a dignified end? If we truly own our lives, then shouldn’t we also own our exits?

Just like you can opt out of a movie that’s too painful to watch, shouldn’t someone suffering in ways we can’t begin to imagine have the right to say, “I’m done now”? It’s not about giving up. It’s about choice. Autonomy. Peace. Some decisions aren’t ours to make for others, and death might be one of the most personal ones there is.

And who are we to interject to force them to live this wretched life which they have been living? And even if it's not a bad life, the person might have just seen the whole world and knocked off all the items in his bucket list and just wants to die in peace.

We just cannot object to that. Death is a private subject, and if there is no harm done to others, then the state and other people have no right to interfere.

2. Mental Suffering Can Be as Painful as Physical Pain

Psychological pain, such as treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, or chronic anxiety disorders, can be torturous, trust me, I know how difficult it was to live with that. When people have tried everything, meds, therapy, spiritual practices, and still live in darkness, who are we to say their suffering isn’t “real enough”?

Some diseases (like ALS, late-stage cancer, or Huntington’s) slowly strip away a person's ability to move, eat, speak, or even breathe. Legal euthanasia lets people die on their own terms, rather than in a hospital bed with tubes and strangers.

Strangely, we allow our pets a peaceful death when they’re in pain, but force humans to endure torment. Why do we treat our dogs and cats more humanely than terminally ill people?

3. Prevents Desperate, Violent Suicides

When euthanasia is illegal, people often attempt dangerous or traumatic methods to end their lives, like jumping off buildings, overdosing, hanging from the ceiling, coming in front of a train, gunshots, etc, which can result in more pain, failed attempts, or permanent disability.

Now imagine if these people had another way, a legal, safe, medically supervised way. A way that didn’t involve horror, secrecy, and shame. A way that allowed them to say goodbye, hug their families, listen to their favourite song one last time, and drift away gently, without fear, without violence, and with dignity.

4. When Living Feels Like Just Not Dying

We love to say “life is a gift,” but what kind of gift comes wrapped in pain, hopelessness, and dread? When there’s no chance of recovery, no joy to wake up for, and nothing left to look forward to, is that really living? Or is it just a slow, stretched-out version of dying?

At some point, life stops feeling like a journey and starts feeling like a sentence, where each day is something you survive, not something you live. And when survival becomes the only thing keeping someone here, maybe it’s time we stop calling it life.

As of 2024, euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and all six states of Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia).

Most religions oppose euthanasia, seeing life as sacred and only God’s to take. Christianity and Islam strongly forbid it, viewing it as morally wrong.

Hinduism and Buddhism are more nuanced, sometimes allowing it out of deep compassion. But religious rules shouldn’t override personal suffering and the right to die with dignity.