Laws+Regarding+Euthanasia

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 In ancient Greece, the Hippocratic Oath prevented doctors from exercising the practice of assisted suicide, or providing patients with the opportunity or means to end their own lives. Since then, euthanasia has become a more acceptable facet of society, one more likely to be introduced as lawful.


Movements like the one headed by Jack Kevorkian (known to anti-euthanasia supporters as Doctor Death) as well as messages sent through the media eased an acceptance of assisted suicide into people's mindsets. The morality of the issue is still greatly debated, and there is a strong ethical and religious opposition to the practice. But in recent years a great many areas have begun to integrate euthanasia into society as a prohibited, lawful, and merciful part of a doctor's duty to their patient.

 Currentl y, in the USA, **Washington **, **Montana**, and **Texas** have passed euthanasia laws based on support from the public. The only jurisdictions in the world to fully support assisted suicide with specific laws are **Luxembourg**, **Belgium**, the **Netherland****s**, and **Oregon**. In other nations, specifically **Switzerland**, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are legally condoned, however actions can be penalized if motives can be proven to have been "selfish". <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Swiss law even condones non-physician assisted suicide, in extreme cases. In 1995 **Australia**’s Northern Territory approved a euthanasia bill. It went into effect in 1996 but was overturned by the Australian Parliament in 1997. Also, in 1997, **Colombia**’s Supreme Court ruled that penalties for mercy killing should be removed. However the ruling does not go into effect until guidelines are approved by the Colombian Congress. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Within **English** law, a difference is made between acting and refraining to act; the latter is referred to in English law as omission. A]ctive euthanasia occurs when treatment is administered with the //intention// of ending the patient's life.

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