Should assisted suicide be made legal?
Robin Stransham-Ford, a terminally ill cancer patient, recently approached the North Gauteng High Court to legalise assisted suicide.
The court ruled that Stransham-Ford had the right to commit suicide with the help of a doctor.
Stransham-Ford died just hours before the court ruled in favour of his euthanasia application.
The Addie‘s Facebook page was abuzz with various opinions on the matter:
Suzette Momberg Oberholzer: “Should be allowed as a choice for terminally ill patients.”
Lynn Marlene Sharman: I agree, if there is no hope for terminal illness, you at least have the choice of dignity”.
Chelle Bellion: “If our animals are in pain and there is no possible recovery, we help them out of their misery through euthanasia.”
Lebo Mokgojwa: “I wouldn’t do it, even if it was my mom, it’s not right.”
Mtakalahlwa Nkambule: “I’ll never play God or expect anybody to do it for me.If the court allows it how do they sleep at night.”
Antonio Da Cruz: “An advanced society treats its members with understanding and ultimately honours free choice. If a member of our society is in terminal pain with a terminal condition, then the choice of a peaceful, calm, pain-free death as willed by them has to be honoured.”
Danie Opperman: “It is wrong, anything that has to do with suicide is wrong.”
Bushy van Eck: “Who are we to judge the state of mind of such a person living in agony, pain and desperation?”
Mara Beatriz Strydom Abreu-Pepper: “I wonder if all the people against it, are the ones who always post in favour of bringing back the death penalty?”
Carol Boltt Driver: “I believe it should be handled on a case by case scenario. As the main argument here is that of religious reasons, we need to bear in mind that not everyone is of the same faith.”