Is the proposed “Death With Dignity” suicide or not?
Proponents of this bill prefer to call it “death with dignity” or “physician aid-in-dying” or “hastening death” or “an end-of-life choice”. They get inordinately upset when opponents call it “physician-assisted suicide”. AN ACT RELATING TO THE VERMONT DEATH WITH DIGNITY ACT ———First sentence of the bill: “Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to allow a mentally competent patient who is expected to die within six months to end his or her life in a humane and dignified manner by prescription medication.” Last sentence of the bill: “Action taken in accordance with this act shall not be construed for any purpose to constitute suicide, assisted suicide, mercy killing, or homicide under the law.” Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: Sui-cide: noun Etymology: Latin sui (general) of oneself + English -cide; akin to Old English & Old High German sIn his, Latin suus one’s own, sed, se without, Sanskrit sva oneself, one’s own 1 a : the act or an instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily
