Is it true that suicide is "illegal" in America?
98623
Illegal to kill yourself.  And if you do, how exactly will you be prosecuted?\n\nOkay, I can only speak for California (but if some state out there really, TRULY has a law against someone taking their own life, I'd love to read it):\n\nIn California, it is not illegal to kill yourself.  You can do it as often as you like without fear of being arrested.  It is not illegal to *try* and kill yourself, either.  In both cases, (trying and/or succeeding), making it illegal would be about the most ridiculous law I can think of.  \n\nIt *is* illegal in this state to encourage someone to kill themselves.  I've had the pleasure of arresting a local idiot for repeatedly yelling "jump" at someone who was on the 4th floor of a building, looking to do just that.\n\nAttempting to kill yourself in California, assuming you are not sucessful and are discovered by the police, will most likely land you in a mental health facility for up to 72 hours.\n\nIllegal to kill yourself?  Seriously...I want to see that law.
877227
Yes, it's illegal, and I've seen things on TV talking about how the authorities are starting to get tough on that sort of thing.\n\n.
726611
Oregon is the only state with legalized suicide, and in that instance it must be administered by a doctor and only in the case of terminally ill patients.\n\nHowever, if you attempt to commit suicide, you will almost never be prosecuted.\n\nFor more info:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_views_of_suicide
127802
everything is done for a reason. It all comes down to money.\nThis country makes allot of money on the illegal stuff. \nLook if it was legal it would put allot of people out of business. Just like there are cures for cancer. But we can't know that because people would lose there jobs.
540690
We'll all worry more about answering you when you find a state where it's illegal to commit suicide.
52285
I'm not sure about the legality, but I do know that in some states it's enforced, and in others it's not.\n\nNote: Check out the story of the lady who died in Spokane, WA last year.
27219
It should be illegal. But it varies from state to state.
778599
I am completely for assisted suicide for the terminally ill.  If someone is so sick that thier quality of life is so bad that death is a release, so be it!  If suicide is used as a political statement ( such as hunger strikes and monks setting themselves on fire) I find that equally acceptable even rightious.  But if someone is going to kill themselves because they can't pay thier bills, or they are unhappy in thier marriage, I think that is cowardly... these are things that can be changed, declare bankruptcy, get a divorce... dont kill yourself!  If you are depressed, see a specialist, there are plenty of mood moderating meds available!
904641
no - here they call it "assisted suicide" and you go to jail
61277
Yes it is cruel to do that to a person. And I know that in Oregan, it is legal for a person to decide wheather or not they want to die. However, I don't know if its legal anywhere else. I think it should be, but lots of people look down on it as "assisted suicide".
30879
Wow, I posed that very question in relation to physician-assisted suicide on a paper I wrote a few weeks ago...\n\nit doesn't make any sense to me. i mean, physician -assisted suicide is when the patient is terminally ill with no chance of recovery, only has a few months or even weeks to live, is suffering intolerable pain, and really just wants to put an end to their own suffering... yet this is illegal in most of the world, and all of the US states except for Oregon(and Bush is trying to get it taken away from there too...) I don't understand why this is illegal, yet a women is allowed to kill her unborn child who has a full life ahead of them.  It seems that abortion is more "wrong" than suicide, because it's dealing with someone else's life, and with abortion you have other options like adoption. regardless of whether abortion is right or wrong, it seems more wrong than physician-assisted suicide(PAS), so why is PAS illegal and abortion legal? it makes no sense at all.  i can understand regular suicide, because the person could just be temporarily depressed and end up having a fine life later on, or be thankful that their suicide was prevented... however, there really is no legal deterant for people committing suicide since if they succeed, they won't have to worry about any legal ramifications anyway. even with drugs, i think people who use drugs are just stupid and if they are stupid enough to use drugs then we really don't need their genes in the gene pool anyway... it's their choice, and i agree that there shouldnt be a law against it, under our democracy, people should be able to make that decision for themselves.
1065377
It is forbidden to intentionally kill oneself. The person will repeat their act over and over in hellfires.
406287
There are absolutely no reasons for it to stay illegal. It's an enormous cheek that it is illegal, it's a bit like saying "God made a mistake!" (thanks to Bill Hicks deceased for that) and that seems a tad presumptuous to me.
239338
it is the gov't responsiblity to make sure you are safe.  that's is why there are laws against things that could potentially kill you.  so yes it's a good idea for wheelies to be illegal.  i wouldn't want my son seeing some idiot doing such nonsense on the freeway and then trying to go home and copy and kill himself.  plus doing wheelies on the freeway not only endangers your life, it endangers the innocent lives around you.  is that fair to us just trying to drive?
964265
The Catholic Church teaches and has always taught that suicide is a terrible (mortal) sin.  God created you, and God knows when it's time to call you home.  That is not for us to decide.  \n\nIn states that have legalized physician-assisted suicide, the vast majority of people who do so are depressed.  \n\nLet's love them instead.
371066
I, too, believe the answer would not be accurate as many such suicides are not recognized as such. I even had a father in law that was kept alive by his doctor until our family could arrive. Shortly after we spent a couple days with  him, he went into emergency room and was given pain meds and died shortly after.\nI have to agree with the person's answer above that wouldn't it be nice if we could live a quality life rather than gauged on quantity and be allowed to leave this life with dignity when the time comes.
635352
I have worked in resturants, and dug graves, worked on a farm, drove truck, in a factory, and worked some construction, I would do it again if able. I wonder what some people do not know about the word ILLEGAL. it is scarry that criminals are allowed to just roam in the US without knowing who they are or what they are up to.