Is suicide or assistance of suicide illegal in the states?
405440
It is illegal here but depends upon your living will.  If you decide not to have "extraordinary means" to sustain your life and it's in your living will, then it is legal to pull the plug.  If not, all means would be implemented to maintain your life no matter how futile it is to do so.
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.
452768
It is against the law in the US to "attempt" suicide...but how can the actual act be a crime? You can't convict a corpse...
176884
Yes, I do. The Netherlands legalized it not too long ago, and my uncle was euthanized just after that. {Is that correct English?} It was a good thing for him. He was of sound mind, but was terminally ill. Instead of everyone watching him suffer, they let him do this. So yes, I think it should be legal, as long as it's strictly monitored.
270678
From what I understand about the case, the states determined abortion laws, and still do.  So, if it is illegal in one state, a woman can travel to another to have the procedure performed.  \nBut, I have always wondered the answer to this myself.  I assumed it would outlaw any abortions except those to save the mother's life.  But, that assumption must be wrong or you wouldn't have asked this question.
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".
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!
1056271
That needs to be asked because sometimes people kill themselves by accident or it's very possible it may not have been suicide but murder and it was covered up. All people do not kill themselves because they are depressed however a large percentage are depressed.
227136
Well after the Supreme Court decided that assisted suicide is a states' rights issue, it is well with in the right of South Dakotans to elect representatives to pass this bill.  There sounds like there will be a referendum, but if the citizens of South Dakota votes for this what's going to happen those who don't like the fact that a state has decided what should be a states rights issue (the same as what Oregon did with assisted suicide) will take the state to court, instead of letting the state make it's own law guaranteed it according to the constitutions concept of implied powers.  Especially considering Roe didn't go through the legislature, but was usurped by the judiciary.\n\nIf the Supreme Court is going to be consistent they will say it's a states rights issue.
238756
Suicide is frequently highly stigmatized, and those experiencing suicidal ideation struggle to be heard and understood. Suicidal ideation frequently results from the experience of pain outweighing the individual's coping strategies and resources for dealing with that pain.\n\nMedicine views suicide as a mental health issue. Severe suicidal thoughts are considered a medical emergency. Mental health practitioners consistently advise suicidal people to seek help. This is especially true if the means (weapons, drugs, or other methods) are available, or if a detailed plan is in place. Suicidal patients in mental hospitals may be temporarily bound, placed in padded rooms, or incapacitated with drugs to limit access to means of suicide.
681528
I don't know for sure, but in general, the law frowns upon such "self help" measures. If you want to collect money from someone, that's what the civil court system is for.
200153
Well, if you heard them in California (and I have to assume you did), I can help you with one of them.\n\n5150 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is the section that allows law enforcement officers (go figure) to detain persons who are a danger to themselves, a danger to others, or gravely disabled due to a mental defect.  It's often used as the radio code for someone who is acting a little nutty or has attempted suicide.\n\nAnd speaking of suicide, this is the law that allows the police to take a suicidal person into *civil* custody.  This is not a criminal section, and the person being detained is not under criminal arrest, so NO...it is not against the law to try (or succeed) in killing yourself in California.\n\nAs for the 999, I have never heard of it.  A lot of agencies use what are called "900 codes", so it certainly seems reasonable that the other poster has it right...I've just never heard it myself.
16594
The moral issues you cited, by category, should be deemed lifestyle preferences. As a non-lawyer, but as someone who has studied law, my point of view of this issue is that the state should only intervene if there is demonstrable harm present. Some say it should be merely harm, or potential harm, but that will never wash in front of our Supreme Court.
1102100
Can't be done, unless you want to commit suicide.
864658
Not at all.  If someone wants to end their life, it should be THEIR decision.  Who is ANYone to tell me what to do with my body?  \n\nSo far, the government says I can't end my own life, and can't ingest drugs of my choice...both of which can be done without providing an ounce of revenue to a corporation or government btw.  So, why doesn't the govenment stop people from eating themselves to death?  I can sit at McDonalds and down big mac after big mac until I run out of dough, day in and day out, and become the fattest most digusting unhealthy blob of an individual, but as soon as I ingest a "controlled substance", or put a gun to my head, I'm in violation of the law.  How does that make sense?\n\nBTW, you can't compare this to abortion.  Aborted fetuses have no choice, but people stricken with terminal disease should be able to choose their own destiny.
271378
that's what attorneys are for going in front of the judge without one is suicide legally unless you know all the ins and out of the legal  system, you do not mention what ytou are in front of the judge for
458108
I suppose it should be someone's choice, however it is the same thing as suicide, only with someone assisting one to their death.  This challenges me to pose the question of if assisting someone in their suicide would be considered a lesser degree of homicide on the accomplice's part?\nToo confusing to go any father.