Assisted suicide should not be legalized Throughout history, death and suffering have been an important topic of discussion among the people of the world entire. Scientists are constantly looking for ways to relieve and/or cure the pain that accompanies the dying process. Treatments generally focus on pain management and quality of life and include medications and various types of therapy. When traditional treatments fail to eliminate pain and suffering or the promise of recovery, patients often consider euthanasia or assisted suicide. Assisted suicide occurs when a person is terminally ill and feels that their life is no longer worth living. As a result of these thoughts and feelings, a doctor or other person is hired to “help” the patient commit suicide. This is usually done by administering a fatal overdose of a narcotic, antidepressant, or sedative, or by combining medications to create an adverse reaction and hasten the death of the sick patient. Although many people believe that assisted suicide is a quick and honorable way to end the suffering of someone with a serious illness, it is in fact morally wrong. Assisted suicide is unethical because it removes the value of a human life, it is murder, and it opens the door to coercion of the elderly and terminally ill to seek premature death and prematurely. Despite popular beliefs, assisted suicide is wrong and should not be legalized. One of the main reasons why assisted suicide should not be legalized is the fact that it reduces the value of a human life. If this act becomes legal, many sick people will begin to believe that because they are sick, their lives are no longer worth living. That alone, I...... middle of paper ...... J. "Legalizing euthanasia would harm society." Euthanasia – Opposing views. Ed. Carole Wesseker. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 64-71. Print.Focus on family issues analysts. “Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.” Focus on family. 2008. Focus on the family. Internet. February 20, 2014. Larson, Edward J. “Legalizing Euthanasia Would Encourage Suicide” Euthanasia – Opposing Views. Ed. Carole Wesseker. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 78-83. Print. McManaman, Doug. “Active euthanasia is never morally justified.” Assisted suicide. Ed. Merino Christmas. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Internet. February 20, 2014. Nardo, Don. Biomedical ethics. California: Reference Point Press, 2007. Print. Otremba, Ronald. “Euthanasia is unethical.” Euthanasia – Opposing views. Ed. Carole Wesseker. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 21-23. Print.