speech
candice1013
spch6pwerpoint.pptxThe State of California should Lower the Requirements for Physician-Assisted Suicide
Eddie Zhou
Project #2 Part 2
According to Kevinscause.org, there were 4,167 suicides in California alone.
What will be discussed:
Why the current requirements are harmful to citizens
Produce a feasible plan to counter this
Discuss how this plan will counteract the harms
Understand what other benefits the plan provides
What do the Strict Requirements do?
Prevents the program from being utilized by the people that need it
By causing harm #1, more mentally disturbed people are produced by having the initial suicide affect countless amounts of people
Harm 1:
Prevents the program from being utilized by the people that need it
1. According to Kurt Snibbe from OCregister on November 11, 2017, there has been an upward trend for children under 18 with mental illnesses
2. The requirements to utilize physician-assisted suicide requires that the individual has an incurable disease that will kill them within six months
Harm 2:
By causing harm #1, more mentally disturbed people are produced by having the initial suicide affect countless amounts of people
1. According to Susan Scutti from MedicalDaily on January 26, 2016, “those mourning a suicide also were 80 percent more likely to drop out of school or stop working.”
2. The effects of a suicide that isn’t premediated and discussed with family and physicians negatively affect family members and friends. They either find the victim and develop PTSD or a mental illness, or the grievance takes a toll on them and they can’t continue on without proper mourning methods and a period to do so.
Why are the requirements so strict?
To prevent the illegal abuse of a legal method for death
The Plan
Agent: The State of California
Mandates
1. Congress will pass a bill that changes the requirement of "6 months or less" time frame to "a reasonable period of time depending on type of sickness/problem", and the requirement of being a terminally ill patient to be lightened into a "situational" requirement
2. In response to making the requirements lighter, there will be stricter rules and background checks on individuals that apply for assisted suicide. Two separate background checks will be run by different people/agencies. There will be thorough investigation around the individual's life to prevent the illegal use of euthanasia by outside pressure. There will be programs to help those that are being forced to apply for self-euthanasia similar to witness protection if the threat is credible
Enforcement
1. Anyone applying for assisted suicide who doesn't have an enforced reason with evidence will be fined $75,000 and possibly banned from using euthanasia depending on the severity
Funding and Staffing
1. Funding will be through taxpayer money and the money collected from fines
Timeline
1. Immediately
Solvency
Harm 1: Cater to the people that need the program
Harm 2: Keep more citizens healthy
Lowering the requirements will allow the program to reach more people, potentially preventing suicides
With the potential prevention of suicides, more people will be protected
Additional benefits
According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, the average cost of one suicide was $1,329,553
According to the LA Times on May 15, 2018, a Riverside judge overturned the physician-assisted suicide law stating that it’s “unconstitutional”
Possibility of saving tax $$$
Only unconstitutional for lawmakers. Shows citizens that the government cares if the program was re-worked to cater to them.
Consider the future of America. Help the people who need help, not deny the help they need.
Lower the requirements for physician-assisted death.
