New Zealand votes to legalise euthanasia in referendum

[mysteryowl]

Source: Guardian/US

New Zealanders have voted to legalise euthanasia for those with a terminal illness, in a victory for campaigners who say people suffering extreme pain should be given a choice over how and when to bring their life to a close.

The decision on whether to legalise euthanasia appeared as a referendum question on the 17 October general election ballot paper, alongside a second referendum question on whether to legalise cannabis – which did not succeed, according to preliminary results.

The results of the euthanasia referendum are binding and will see the act come into effect 12 months from the final results – on 6 November 2021. Assisted dying will be administered by the Ministry of Health.

Preliminary results announced on Friday by the electoral commission saw 65.2% of eligible voters tick “yes” to legalising euthanasia, with 33.8% ticking “no”.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/30/new-zealand-votes-to-legalise-euthanasia-but-against-legalising-cannabis-in-referendum

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I love New Zealand!

[BigmanPigman]

1. It is legal in CA but the problem

seems to be with getting two doctors to approve it. They are afraid of lawsuits.

[Dem2theMax]

5. A friend of mine was able to use the law a few weeks after it went into effect.

She had ALS, and thankfully, the law was signed shortly after she was diagnosed. Kaiser doctors agreed, and she was able to go peacefully.

[BigmanPigman]

6. Your friend is lucky.

My grandfather died of ALS. I was too young to remember much but my mother told me how horrible it was since his mind was functioning normally and he knew what was happening to him even though none of my family told him what he had at the time.

I read an article after CA passed the law and it was so sad to read what a young adult had to endure with a brain tumor that was going to kill her and was extremely painful but her family couldn't find two doctors willing to OK it.

[yaesu]

2. Bless them. nt

[not_the_one]

3. This is quite civilized.

No matter what decision is made with anything, some will try to abuse it. The key is to prevent the abuse, with there being consequences for the abuse.

We should treat the ones close to us as "humanely" as we treat our pets, in their final days. I hope to have some control of how, and when. Debilitating chronic pain for weeks/months/years on end, and I am financially destitute, until a horrible painful death, is not going to be my exit.

If someone makes that choice, we should honor it. My oldest sister had a severe illness. I was never told exactly what it was but gathered that it may have been some sort of cancer of the intestinal track. I know that she was in constant, severe pain. By that time she was in her 70's. If it came to be that she ended up in the hospital with no hope, she specifically signed a Do Not Resuscitate order. She did end up (yet again) in the hospital, and was dying. Her husband (my brother-in-law), who had to agree to it, could not bring himself to tell them to honor her request. She lived for several more years, in such pain that she finally attempted suicide by pills. And that was even worse, because she was, at least in my atheist eyes, the one true example I knew of, of what a Christian was supposed to be. She talked the talk, but she also walked the walk. She was a gentle, loving, forgiving, caring soul. She lived what Christ taught. Aside from the illness and the pain, she now faced her god knowing that she tried to kill herself. She was never the same again, mentally. My last memory of her was seeing her sitting alone, at a table in a "hospital" (read mental), with such a lost look in her eyes. She finally died at home, in bed, unable to speak, in incredible pain.

It did not have to be that way.

[Bev54]

4. It is legal in Canada, but limited.

[Sherman A1]

7. New Zealand 🇳🇿

Is such a progressive, well run government.

[packman]

8. Let me sort this out???

If in pain and acute suffering, it's O.K. now in NZ to be euthanized, but illegal to smoke a joint to dull that pain and suffering???