should people have the right to commit suicide?

Question

I'm not really sure what the answer to this question would be.

I generally believe that human beings should be able to do whatever they want as long as they don't hurt anyone else. But I don't know how that theory works when it comes to hurting yourself. Theoretically, if someone wants to kill themself, that should be their perogative. Your body is your temple and you can do whatever you want to it, right?

But maybe not.
In US law, I do believe suicide is against the law. Do you think this should be?

Clearly, commiting suicide DOES affect other people - it hurts friends and family and loved ones. If you have a family to support, you are depriving them of income. Then again, maybe they do better under your life insurance policy than when you were alive. (actually, does anyone know if you can still collect life insurance on someone who commits suicide?)

Answer 1

Suicide should not be against the law.
If someone is suffering so much that they want to take thier own life, then go for it.

Answer 2

it might interest you if i point out that people already have the right to commit suicide, or for that matter, do anything that they wish with themselves.... of course, i guess you mean a LEGAL right.

it's nothing less than inconsiderate that even euthanasia should be illegal.. (give the guy a break... you're gonna tell him he needs legal permission to die??)

one should be given the personal freedom to decide if their personal pain supercedes the hurt their death might cause familyandlovedones. in fact it's an extra burden of guilt placed on the already suffering person, and in several cases, becomes a tactic used by psychiatrists and other "wellwishers" to discourage/blackmail the person against suicide.

and in the end, it isn't so much the question of "should" people commit suicide, but how the act could be done with minimal disadvantage or discomfort.

govts would do better to understand that imposing laws on the right to die is beyond their jurisdiction, and hence remove the illegality of euthanasia and suicide and rather invest more on developing ways of helping persons carry out their unchangeable wish in dignified, comfortable style.

Answer 3

I think it is pointless to press charges on someone that is already dead. It would be comical seeing a cop reading Buddy Ryan his rights as blood was chugging out of his mouth.

Pressing charges on someone on attempted suicide would be hard to prove also but I do think it might be worthwhile to arrest this person because, if a person is willing to take their own life, what's not to say that they would take someone else's life away?

I think families would benefit from a life insurance from a suicide but only the fair market value of the policy and not the premium. So if "Mr. Blow" paid 20 years worth of payments in a $500,000 life insurance policy and the value of his contributions were $140,000, the family would get the $140,000.

But this depends on the policy.

Answer 4

UK. Suicide is not a crime (it used to be). Assisting in the suicide of another however is still a criminal act. Generally speaking, Insurance will be paid out on suicide after a number of year - possibly as little as two.
Only yesterday, in a local forest, police had to cut down a young man who hanged himself. I have seen such acts and can tell you that it is not a very pleasant sight or business to deal with. The tragedy that it leaves for the surviving family is enormous.

Answer 5

There's a difference between suicide and euthanasia. Euthanasia is to help someone die with grace and dignity, and stop continued and inevitable suffering for soneome who is going to die anyway.

But to commt suicide to get away from one's problems or one's crimes or one's guilt over one's misdeeds...? It isn't a matter of cowardice because it takes a fair degree of courage to take one's life, it can well be the desperate attempts cries of a sick mind. No one knows what inner turmoil or suffering causes one person to take his/her own life. Surely, as sound human beings we don't want to bring harm upon ourselves, and soneme who wants to take his/her own life is not exercising sound judgement or demonstrating sanity... and is not aware of the suffering and grief it will cause the children that look up to them or the family members that love and care for that person... and it is not fair to those that remain, friends, relatives and family who must suffer the loss.

The urge to take one's own life may be the result of undiagnosed depression or some other emotional problem that is certainly not rational thinking.

I can't imagine an intelligent, rational person wanting to take their own life without thought to those left behind... it's simply not sound thinking.

Have you considered that perhaps the reason why it is "illegal" is to give the authorities time to put the person in custody and render the needed psychological and/or emotional assistance that person has? All too often, the cause of a great many suicides can be attributed to depression, and that simply ain't normal.

Answer 6

It's unenforceable. How do you punish someone who has committed suicide? It's petty to make laws against it. If someone tries and fails, either the family will care enough to help that person seek help, or they won't. Regulations aren't going to change that, there's no state program that will change someone's mind on the issue.

Answer 7

Committing suicide does harm other people. The only time I think of suicide as a solution is when the patient is terminal and in constant pain and there is no hope, and the terminally ill person has discussed it with their loved ones.

Answer 8

I think it should be 100% legal. If it is legal to smoke and drink, why not suicide? The only difference is speed and the gov't can't tax people on suicide the way they do with alcohol and tobacco.

Answer 9

Let's say that we make suicide a crime: How would we ever punish anyone?
All the criminals will be dead already.
Really making it illegal will have no effect.
A person who is desperate enough to commit suicide will not care if it is legal or not.

Answer 10

Life insurance is null and void if it's suicide.

I think it's very stupid that it's against the law, since the only ones who can be prosecuted for it are the ones who FAIL to commit it.