Elderly couples are buying each other suicide kits as Christmas presents, says controversial euthanasia campaigner Dr Philip Nitschke.
Speaking at Tweed Heads yesterday on a new “peaceful pill” suicide method being developed overseas, Dr Nitschke’s comments sent right-to-life campaigners and church groups into a frenzy.
Asked whether it was in the spirit of the season to be publicising ways of ending life just a week before Christmas, Dr Nitschke said he was always going to attract criticism.
“Our main opposition is from religious groups who would still be getting outraged at Easter, or any other time of year for that matter,” he said.
Poor taste for the holiday season, to be sure. That being said …
I am in my late 50s, reasonably good health (though not a vegan athlete), but no family to speak of, no children, no spouse and not many prospects of acquiring one (divorced, not gay or deliberately celibate). I am reasonably solvent financially, though certainly not wealthy. It is very sobering to think about where I might be in 20 years. Old age is going to be me, my savings and whatever eldercare system is in place. Troubling, even if I keep my health (and I already know people who haven’t). Perhaps I should have had more foresight about some things, but I didn’t, so that’s that.
I can only imagine how it must be for people with poor social/medical support and/or finances plus intractable pain or other disabilities.
If a “peaceful pill” with a long shelf-life were available, I’d buy one (or more) and stash it, not because I [i]know[/i] I’d want to use it, but because I can [i]imagine[/i] wanting to. I tend to agree that assisted suicide [u]legislation[/u] is a Bad Thing ™ because of the potential for abuse, but self-help is always available to those with resolve and foresight. Such a pill would leave much less of a mess than a 9mm in the ear, and presumably be less uncomfortable than a rope over a door tied to the knob on the other side.
I do not know for a fact that I’ll think that way in 10-20 years; I hope I don’t. But I understand why someone might.
regards,
JPB