Variations on the theme from M*A*S*H: Part one

There are two starting points for this. One is very old: Thou shalt not kill. One is more recent: human rights. It's currently legal in this country (the UK) to commit suicide. That phrase in itself is telling: suicide was decriminalised as recently as the 1960s. Assisting a suicide remains a criminal offence. There have been several high profile cases in the news recently of people who have chosen to end their lives by travelling to a Swiss clinic where they will take a carefully calculated overdose. One woman is seeking assurance that her partner will not be prosecuted for helping her end her life. If she cannot receive that assurance, it is likely that she will choose to make the journey while she is still able to, arguably shortening her life unnecessarily. Can it be right to force someone to take their life before they are truly ready? If you've notice of your own death, isn't it better to be able to face it without fear of your loved ones' prosecution? Perhaps knowing that the option is there as a last resort is enough to provide a reason to carry on in the hope that things may get better. I'm aware of the pitfalls of legalised euthanasia. That's something I'll write about another time. But we need a sensible debate about the options available to the terminally and chronically ill. It's no longer a crime to end one's life. It's time to examine whether the same should be said of loving someone enough to let them die with dignity.