That is a tough question. First, almost anyone can arrange for their own suicide if they are physically fit enough to have control over their movement. So to a certain extent, one can not keep a person from committing suicide. I have a brother-in-law and a co-worker's husband who committed suicide. I suspect that a lot of single vehicle bridge abutment accidents are suicides. Having said that, I can say from personal experience that the family of someone who obviously commits suicide is significantly harmed. While a person may do what they want to themselves, the act of suicide does harm others.
I saw my coworker have to try to pay off all kinds of ambulance and hospital bills associated with a suicide by her husband, because medical insurance doesn't cover those costs when they are self inflicted. She suffered mentally, financially, and physically because of what he did.
I saw the suffering that my wife dealt with loosing her brother and trying to deal with emotional outbursts by her parents. For years she wondered if there was something she could have done to have seen it before it happened and have done something to stop it.
Suicide has consequences beyond the individual who ends their own life. Suicide because of its consequences is illegal in most states for good reasons.
Doctor assisted suicide involves others. What about the doctor that doesn't want to do this? What about the pharmacist that doesn't want to fill the prescription (remember the Plan B debate and what our WA State Governor did in regards to the pharmacy board). What about nurses and others? Do they have a "right?" I don't think so, but....
“Doctor assisted suicide involves others. What about the doctor that doesn’t want to do this? What about the pharmacist that doesn’t want to fill the prescription (remember the Plan B debate and what our WA State Governor did in regards to the pharmacy board). What about nurses and others? Do they have a “right?” I don’t think so, but....”
Ok now that make more sense.
I still think suicide shouldn’t be a crime, but assisted suicide....?