An euthanasia essay can debate on the very sensitive issue of whether to allow the practice of ending life without pain or to continue turning a blind eye to the number of suicide deaths. Euthanasia has been defined and classified as voluntary and involuntary. In many cases, victims are unable to make decisions on their own. It could be due to due to a medical problem such as extended coma. In such cases, when others make a decision for them, it is termed as involuntary euthanasia. In the case of voluntary euthanasia, patients give their consent to end life. Again, it could be passive where common drugs like antibiotics that sustain life are stopped. It could be active where an euthanasia machine is used to end life with lethal substances.

There has always been a controversy about whether doctors increasing doses that could end life would be active or passive euthanasia. Mercy killing has evoked strong emotions. One section of people believe that life is sacred and only God has the right to take it away. On the other hand, some say that individuals should not be allowed to suffer pain and humiliation with the knowledge that they would never be able to recover from the situation they are in. In this context, it would be better to end their lives than suffer and make their loved ones suffer as well. An essay writing exercise could start a debate on this issue.

Often when people encounter situations where they see terminally ill patients bedridden and totally dependent on others. It hurts that the situation must have given their self esteem a battering. It is not something which a person can expect to find happening to another human being, one they knew to be active and full of zest just some time back. An euthanasia essay could establish that while they feel helpless, it is not uncommon for them to feel that death would be the best way to end such suffering.

Euthanasia is banned in most European Union countries, except the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. In most cases, legislation has brought in complications as to what is right or wrong when implementing the legislation. A research paper on the issue could bring to light some of these complications. In UK, a motion was made in the House of Common in 2006 which indicated that 42 cases of assisted suicide had taken place where British citizens traveled abroad to do so. Though it is banned in the UK, many people feel that it should be legalized. There have been several cases of illegal assisted suicide cases, and it is feared that such incidents would keep occurring unless legislation comes into effect allowing euthanasia for extreme cases.

The problem lies with how to implement the legislation once it is in place. Religion considers life sacred. In Switzerland, deadly drugs can be prescribed to people who have consented to take an active role in the drug administration process to end life. It considers assisted suicide a crime only if the motive is found to be selfish. Where does the solution lie to such a sensitive issue? An euthanasia essay could probe further, but it will continue to be a matter of debate.

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