Euthanasia is legalized in Canada

Parliament of Canada voted in favor of a law allowing voluntary (active) euthanasia – deliberate termination of life by a doctor at the request of a patient in order to relieve pain and suffering, reports Sedmitsa.RU.

The practice of voluntary euthanasia can be applied to terminally ill people and those who are experiencing unbearable suffering, only with the consent of the patients themselves. The adoption of this law was preceded by a long debate between the House of Commons and the Senate on the amendment, according to which, euthanasia could be applied to the citizens who are experiencing suffering, but at the same time, not terminally ill. This amendment was not accepted.

Law on euthanasia would apply only to those patients who will suffer fatal diseases or get injured in any way, leading to death. Two more mandatory conditions for those who wish to exercise this right are coming of age and mental health.

Recall that the first country in the world to legalize voluntary euthanasia in 2002 was the Netherlands. Then medical assistance to death of terminally ill people was legalized in Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland. In the United States euthanasia is legalized in four states. Also, in a number of states passive euthanasia is allowed, when no medical assistance is provided in order to accelerate the onset of natural death, the struggle for the life of the patient ceases.

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