Assisted suicide is a slippery slope

the Province, Nov 15 2011: The unintended consequences of striking down the current laws are of great concern to me. The principle of autonomy is the foundation for euthanasia advocates and when applied will inevitably result in the ability for anyone who decides their suffering is too great the right to request and receive physician assisted suicide.

For example, on the basis of autonomy, a 48-year-old man suffering depression or a 21-year- old woman suffering from anorexia should also be able to request and receive the “right-to-die.” These two people also experience incredible suffering. Would the state force them to keep living? Would autonomy not apply to them?

No matter what safeguards are put in place to prevent the aforementioned from happening, they will easily be bypassed as future rulings will no doubt be based on precedent. This slope is indeed very slippery.

Mike Schouten, Surrey