I've never felt suicidal so don't feel qualified to comment on whether it's cowardly or not, but I have sadly known a number of people who took their own lives and it's the people they leave behind I feel sorry for, especially their immediate families.

I haven't the patience to go through 50 pages of this thread to see if anyone's mentioned this but in Switzerland, the mentally ill can choose to end their own lives in a peaceful and dignified manner (much like those who have physically terminal illnesses). I wish this was available to anyone, anywhere. Not because I feel it's the ultimate solution to mental illness (not just depression - many, many mental illnesses are contributing factors to suicide) but because for many of us, years and years of suffering without relief should be enough to have the freedom to choose a less traumatic death.

I just can't believe people would rather have people blowing their heads off than receiving a controlled substance in a hospital to end their suffering once and for all.

I watched a documentary where Terry Pratchett (the author of the popular Discworld novels) tagged along with a couple - one of whom was dying, to Switzerland to make use of a euthanasia clinic, and it certainly seemed a more gracious way of exiting life than unnecessarily suffering to the very end and upsetting your loved ones in the process.

As you say, euthanasia should be available to everyone. If someone wants to end their own life, they should be free to do so. That it's illegal is mental. Anyone would think our lives are not our own but property of the state.

Wait...Terry Pratchett? Huh?

Took me literally two seconds to google it...

Terry Pratchett has alzheimers and as a result is interested in euthanasia. To satisfy his curiosity, he followed a British couple to Switzerland to a euthanasia clinic where one of them (the couple) killed themselves. Terry Pratchett ain't dead.

Ah. Just seemed random as all hell. Like Don Knotts making a documentary about the legalization of marijuana.

except he does the whole thing in Mr. Furley mode.

I had the euthanasia debate in class today! personally i think the US and canada should legalize it because suicide tourism is the weirdest thing, and also very inconvenient. Also Terry PRatchett's alzheimer's is really sad and he's a beloved author of mine :(

there's always the euthanasia coaster, too! (somebodsy actually came up with this)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K4EqpV8zX8...ia_coaster.jpg