Pros and Cons

                Euthanasia has many pros and cons. Arguments for euthanasia usually include that it is a way to relieve extreme pain. Also, this frees up medical funds to help other people and provides relief when a person’s quality of life is low. Arguments against euthanasia are that it devalues human life and can also become a means of health care cost containment. Another argument against euthanasia is physicians and other medical care personnel should not be involved in directly causing death. (Euthanasia)

The slippery slope debate also provides much controversy because some people do not believe that if a law of voluntary euthanasia is passed then involuntary and non-voluntary euthanasia will not follow. This is where the problem lies because many think that such a law will lead to involuntary and non-voluntary euthanasia. Most people have been voting against euthanasia laws but now that it has come to the United States it is likely to spread. Sometimes there are cases that are clearly do not fall into any category. For example, an elderly person in a nursing home who can barely understand how to read is asked to sign a form consenting to be killed. Once the elderly person signs away their life the law cannot protect them as well, and the person will likely be killed even if it is not wanted (Singer).

There are also people like Jack Kevorkian and Philip Nitschke who help others commit suicide. These men helped hundreds of people each year for only about 200 dollars. Some euthanasia laws allow this kind of merciless killing because sometimes the people they killed are trying to get help, but they kill them anyway “for their best interest.” Then there are the religious viewpoints of several Buddhist. What they do goes against their religion which violates freedom of choice and freedom of religion (Wikipedia).