Compassion or Financial Opportunity?

[blue-mangos.livejournal.com]

A 91 year old woman is being investigated by the FBI for selling suicide kits.

She claims her kits, which include a bag and tubing to connect to a helium tank with instructions and sell for $60, offer an easy, peaceful death to those who wish to end their lives. She has been criticized for not doing due diligence as to whether her customers need these kits as a compassionate measure or if they are underage or mentally unstable.

While I am in favour of assisted suicide on compassionate grounds, I do share the same concerns voiced by her critics. As well, it seems very wrong to me for someone to profit off of someone's pain and suffering. While I am not convinced she should be jailed for her actions, I do think her business should be shut down. Those who wish to commit suicide can always find a way to do so, either alone or with help without someone profiting off the act.

My questions to you:

1. Do you feel she should be prosecuted for this?

2. If not, should she be able to continue selling the kits?

3. Should the families of those who committed suicide using her kits be able to sue?

Comments

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

It's not a doctor's primary goal to end someone's life.

[jonathankorman.livejournal.com]

A pro-lifer would have discomforting things to say on that subject. They commonly conceive of abortion providers as cold-bloodedly and immorally seeking to profit from their work. That's a misrepresentation — by my lights, an offensive one — and so it makes me very hesitant to accept a similar argument about the woman in this story.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Being a doctor requires years of schooling and training, not to mention it's a known profession. This woman is selling plastic bags at $60 a pop to people she doesn't even know, let alone doesn't have the training to diagnose. That's my point.

Tangent

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

My GPs primary role is not to check me for skin cancers, but he does it. Many, many doctors do indeed end peoples' lives right now, they just do it on the downlow. The doctor's primary goal is to provide for the care and well being of their patients to the best of their ability. Sometimes this involves killing them.

Have you spent 5 years watching someone waste away in a bed, in agony, barely lucid over the drugs? I fail to see how forcing someone to continue living in that situation is providing for their wellbeing.

Re: Tangent

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

My GPs primary role is not to check me for skin cancers, but he does it. How do you come to this conclusion? If you developed skin cancer, wouldn't you want to know at an early enough point to do something to stop the spread of the disease?

Re: Tangent

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

Yes, my doctor performs a range of services for me; his primary role is to help me have the highest quality of life that I can. Helping me to die is in no way contradictory to that.