The Right to Die: Euthanasia Debate in America

The debate on assisted suicide reveals differing perspectives and experiences on end-of-life autonomy and dignity.

### The Right to Die: A Global Debate
* ⚖ The Netherlands became the first country to legalize euthanasia in 2002, and since then, more than **37,000 people have ended their lives with a doctor's assistance** in the country.
* 🇺🇸 In the US, assisted suicide has been controversial, and it is currently legal in only **five states**.
* 👩 Brittany Menard's high-profile case brought attention to the issue, but most Americans still don't have the **right to die on their own terms**.
* 🦠 Cristina Simmons, who suffers from ALS, moved to Oregon to have the option of choosing **when to end her life**.
* 📖 Derek Humphry, the author of "Final Exit," has been helping terminally ill people **take matters into their own hands**.
* 🏛 In California, after years of debate, the End of Life Option Act was signed into law in 2015, **effectively quadrupling the number of Americans with the right to assisted suicide**.
* 🇪🇺 However, opponents warn of a **slippery slope**, citing cases in Belgium and the Netherlands where euthanasia is authorized for **non-terminal illnesses**.
* 🦋 Antoinette, who suffers from a lifelong personality disorder, chose to **end her life in the Netherlands** under the country's **euthanasia law**.

[Applause.] [Music.] This week on Vice, the heated debate surrounding the right to die. Assisting in the taking of human life is against everything position stand for when they are sitting in this, then they can make their own decision for about an hour and 15 minutes, but she's gonna head out. [Music.] So how long have you lived here in this house? 15 years in my big house, 35. Okay, Haymitch, so what was here before here was a table, yeah, but tomorrow I lay here in my coffin, yeah, tomorrow this is your space, yeah, so the table must go away. You up there, Cuffy? Yeah, I would love some coffee. Okay, milk, sugar, milk, little milk, no milk, okay. Are you nervous at all? Nope, no, no, no, it's all people who come around and have tears and cry, and that's difficult to say goodbye to Aunt Sarah, and that's what they were here, it's this special because I made it myself, yeah, beautiful, it's on my card to send around, I'm died, you want to see the

photo. Where I bet. Yeah, sure. So we have to go here. Feel so strong here. So yeah. So glad. So this come over. My kissed my cousin. So first you are. How do you call it in English caterpillar? Yeah. And then it's the road. You have to go. And this are nice flowers. But there are always stones. The ugly stones. So it's about my life. When does someone become the butterfly? What do you die when you die? Yeah. I worked in a hospice. Or I've seen many dead people. You can always see that the cell pull out. They are happy. Really happy. Nothing meant. Nothing matter anymore. [Music] In 2002, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize euthanasia. Since then, more than 37,000 people here have ended their lives with a doctor's assistance. But here in the US, assisted suicide has always been controversial and for years was associated with the polarizing Dr. Jack Kevorkian. There's a suffering human out there begging for help. And the doctors say we

can't help you, and they walk away. You think I'm going to turn away never today. The practice is legal in only five states, but more states began to consider legalizing assisted suicide when the movement got a new face: Brittany Minard. I know that it's there when I need it. I plan to be surrounded by my immediate family, which is my husband, my mother, and my stepfather, and I will die upstairs in my bedroom that I share with my husband. Ultimately, Menard was able to end her life as she wished, but her high-profile stories served as a reminder that in most states, Americans don't have that right. She said her goal was to begin a national conversation about how we handle the end of life. Shortly after Menard's death, Cristina Simmons moved to Oregon so she could have the same choice. Cristina suffers from ALS, a degenerative disease that causes paralysis, respiratory failure, and is 100% fatal. When did you start thinking about the right to die or having a to death?

Brittany Manners joined Timmy and that just shocked me. I had no idea we didn't have that option in California. So I'm watching this, going, Wow, because I read what happens in the end, and it reminds me the only thing you need on the move in the end, or I'm off. I don't want to know more, and I'd certainly know I'm what my kids than that. So how old is everyone? Okay, tell me. You're eight. What's your name? Ferguson's five, ten. Hudson and Madison in a lemon. Kristina's husband Teddy, a former policeman, retired early so that the family could make the move to Oregon before Kristina's disease became too disabling. What does Teddy think about your right to choose and even the idea of it? He's coming in a moment, and I asked him, and they're zooming and the other, but he's like, I'm right there with you. He wouldn't mind an ally in there. What do the kids know about what's going

on they know everything, or they don't know, they don't know. Yeah, they know something is obviously different, but they don't know the full scale, yeah, because I mean I'm 45 years old. I can barely, you know, think about it and handle, you know. I mean, which is why we live the way we live, you know, getting out of the moment of thinking and about what, what's potentially ahead of us, what are these in situ pushing my back, yeah. And we just tell what they need to know from the moment, and that's all I can do it. My name, knowing that Orion is a place you can live where, when the time is right, you can end your life with medication, you mean Cristina absolutely is my best friend and my number one. So, I get it. She doesn't want to sit back and be taken care of and be wiped and be fed. She wants to go. I'm done. It's not getting any better. Whatever was gonna work ain't working anymore. And this is where I draw the line. And if you have

that ability power and it's it's a calmness and a security like like nothing. I'm like nothing else. That's a sense of security that most dying Americans aren't granted by their respective states. So I went to meet a man who's been helping many of them take matters into their own hands. We're way out in the woods in Oregon here to meet Derek Humphry, who is the author of Final Exit. He gets calls every day from people who want to kill themselves. I was reading about your career. You start off as a journalist? Yeah, I was a journalist for 35 years. What were you writing about mainly? I wrote about race relations, immigration, police corruption. I was always an advocacy journalist. So when this subject came upon me, I got more and more involved in it. Humphrey started the Hemlock Society, which laid the groundwork for Oregon's successful right-to-die campaign, and he's written two best-selling books on the subject. This was the one that got me into it. This is the count of my wife's.

death. She was dying of breast cancer, and one day when she was very, very ill, she said to me, Help me to die. I thought for a moment, then I said, All right. Humphrey found a sympathetic doctor and procured the life-ending drugs that are now the standard method used in Oregon. He went on to write the ultimate how-to guide for the terminally ill who want to hasten their death: Final Exit. This book is a book full of love in a way 25 years old, still sells every day. But it's not just a book of love; it gives in-depth instructions on different ways you can kill yourself. One popular method uses items you can find in your local party store: helium or you can use nitrogen. Kind of now only effect if you pulled that down and tightened it, you would be dead within five minutes. It's not aesthetic, you know, a plastic bag, but if you can't get any other way to die and you wish to die desperately, and this is as good as any. And thousands of

people have used it. Do you see this as you're calling this? No, I would scrap this and I would scrap my book. When everybody has lawful access to a doctor-assisted death in Arizona, one of the 45 states where assisted suicide is illegal, we met Howard Glick. He suffers from a rare brain disorder called frontotemporal degeneration, or FTD. As his brain deteriorates, Howard is rapidly losing his memory and cognitive abilities, and will eventually require constant care. When they diagnosed you, what did you find out about the disease? Alright, so they diagnosed me, and I thought that was a cure. When they first mentioned, I was happy, and I was also happy because I just attempted suicide. I mean, like, every my life was in such chaos, and I lost everything, and now I could like rebuild. But then I found out there's no cure, no medicine, nothing, nothing incurable, untreatable, unstoppable, next step death. What do I want to do, waste away in a wheelchair, not even recognizing my children, never mind the cost involved?

don't want my children to suffer. I contacted final exit, and you know a lot of people from my support group. I found out from them, and they say quick and painless is helium, and you breathe it in a few times with a gyro Spanier. And Howard is not alone; his support group is filled with people who have the same disease, and many of them are seeking the same end. That's terrible to state that you have to spend their life that you trying to live quality thinking how can you die peacefully. I'm tired of fighting the disease that I know I'm not gonna beat, and I want to have dignity when I die. People will say what a pet who is no longer living a full life. It's cruel to let that animal suffer, aren't I'm more important than an animal? If I don't want to suffer it anymore, why do I have to? But this is just one support group, one disease. There are thousands of patients across the country giving more power to the movement, and this grassroots energy transformed into

action in the most populous state in the country. Good afternoon and welcome everyone. We are here today to announce the introduction of our bill SB one to eight, the End of Life Option Act. I am the terminally ill cancer patient. I fully support SB 128, and I beg eight assisting in the taking of a human life is against everything physicians stand for and defiles the reputation and meaning of being a physician. On behalf of my aunt who was confident and terminally ill and chose to shoot herself to end her suffering, I support this bill. Just to remind you, you're not gods. God is watching, and God will judge you. The bill had the support of nearly 70 percent of Californians, but the powerful Catholic Church helped to persuade lawmakers to stall it in the legislature. That opposition was led by Ned Alessi, the church's top strategist in the state. Why is Catholic leadership so opposed to the bill? From our faith perspective, there's the reality that God is God, and we're not. Now, that's a

Catholic perspective that undergirds how we view life and how we view a question like suicide. The question for this society right now is a question of public policy. There's the dynamics of a very, very competitive health care system, and when you become a burden, when you won't need cancer treatment, when you need 24-hour care, the interests of society in providing those over the course of time will go away. That places people in a very vulnerable situation, and the mentally ill, the disabled, those who are poor, will be the people who are inappropriately steered to move in this direction. When we caught up with Christi Adana, a practicing Christian, she had a very direct response. Stage four diagnosis and a child that they're leaving, our husband that they love, then they can make their own decision, but until that happens with legislation stalled, Christie turned to the courts to win the right to die on our own terms. Judge after judge denied her request. With only months to live, Christie was out of options. I think it is just a matter of time despite what

the headlines were reading a while back. I guess don't don't count us out just yet but then just four days later the right to die bill was revived at the State House. SB 128 was stalled in the assembly here in California but today at a press conference there's gonna be announcement of a new bill that's addressing end-of-life policies and it's trying to be pushed through in a special session of the assembly. This special session on health care financing brought the bill before a new committee and allowed the majority to bypass lawmakers blocking the vote. The members of this coalition here today will do everything in their power to ensure that this legislature has been responsive not only to the will of an overwhelming number of Californians but to the people who are counting on us to win the freedom for them to approach the end of life in the way that they choose. This time the bill passed in both houses and on October 5th Governor Jerry Brown signed it into law effectively quadrupling the number of

Americans with the right to assisted suicide and that has the opposition up in arms. If you look at what's emerged in Northern Europe and Belgium and the Netherlands, you know you don't put it back in the bag. We're going to find longitudinally this will play out. Society will have less interest in expending money at the end of life. The society loses interest because we've offered you your personal choice to take yourself out of this particular moment. American opponents have warned for years that legalization would lead to a slippery slope and that might actually be happening in Belgium and the Netherlands where euthanasia is authorized for much more than terminal illnesses. Man stop open see he's wound up my lady man Darfur his heart a longs to be e to the doctor saying, Oh last found earlier and this shod season, and they personally shot supe TSS we need beer but is over this book so mu since her suffering is psychological. Antoinette would not be eligible for assisted suicide in any.

American state, but in the Netherlands and Belgium, doctors have euthanized patients for depression, autism, anorexia, blindness, and personality disorders. Dr. Theo Bohr, a medical ethicist, used to serve on a review board for Dutch euthanasia cases. He's concerned about some of his recent findings. In the first years after the euthanasia law in Holland in 2002, the numbers remained stable and even went down a little bit. So in 2007, we concluded that our law had done its job very properly. However, after 2007, the numbers went up with no apparent reason by 15% each year, and also the reasons for people having euthanasia have become much wider than they were in the beginning. Where will we end up? Will euthanasia become the default way to die for cancer patients? Will it become one of the preferred options for patients suffering from long-term psychiatric illnesses? Thank you. Good morning. You look very nice. Hi, how are you? Nice to see you. Hi. Soon after I arrived, we were joined by two of

Antoinette's close friends. The last years I've seen her gradually losing herself, and I think that someone has to ask the right to choose her own death and the way she's going to die. It's okay, yeah, and I'm just here to support you. I don't even think today is a hard day. I think today's huh, sir, your day for celebrate. Sorry. Yes, it is. Finally, we can let you go. Well, her friends support her decision. Antoinette's children object. Ah, spellin stark may hurt her aqua belt. A haughty care for tailed about for her hidden issue. I have a daughter market with on smoother the tribe wanted say or inhaler Laver and not ik died on Oak Hill have stood before lighting in shall be the heaven not Eastern Unni Bay and imperiled for meaning door it needs in cycle from the community that's had no it incorrectly. DF notary Costello its ambassador here in Netherlands all barges from delicious burger and doubtfulness conferred record my.

diagnosis of Antoinette is that she suffers from a long-standing, probably lifelong, personality disorder, which is the basis of her complaints. I met her three times intensely, and after this third appointment, I reached a conclusion. Despite his reservations, Antoinette's son ultimately decided that he wanted to stop in to say goodbye, but he didn't want to be filmed. Yes, I did know you'd come. Good. It's hard for him to smell a couple of hair that I'd had to both sign himself and round guillotine. Now I'm kind of an cockney. We first say Sampras. I'm all for Victor tsunami. Those Disney videos Nate that's co-opted. Yeah, and it comes of any of these. Yeah, I don't think autonomy kanesha. Yeah, yeah, nice hit the open ear. So the nurse is about to arrive right now. We're about an hour and fifteen minutes out. Shortly afterwards, Antoinette's daughter showed up to be with her mother. Oh yeah. And right behind her was Dr. Stark.

yeah, this is no joke. Since then, it's been fun of a doctor. Check him out. Well, overall hood education lacks that. She always does certain go. She doesn't need a short tunnel. This is where he aims it that you hate that. She oak unlucky. She'll and I said her dog for blacks. Keisha, yeah, does it for y'all need to draft is on the lathe afford to set unless you die on Keisha for them harmonious bang lows almost owned. You know, silver have gotten. Yes, Antonia. Yeah, I'm about to take that. You cuts tariff and all these vegetables. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They toured for dolphin here, chief Aaron, all makes one feel fun. Notic new Inca spires at our high from Ohio. Okay, and it comes under certain. Hey, Oakland vegetable on the fish, whatever middle. Oh, she gave the moment. Okay, let's do it. She was still joyful, happy. She chose her moment, and she got her moment. Do you think this is a new perspective on her dying to work? We should consider as humanity that we did more options in.

future. Because when your life is over, whether it's physically or psychologically, you have the right, I think, to take control of your own life and death. And I think we have seen here a great example of how it can be done. Assisted suicide laws in the United States are still tightly restricted to specific terminal cases, but as more states look to legalize the practice and millions of baby boomers begin to consider end-of-life decisions, the debate is only intensifying. And what remains unclear is just how far these new laws will go. [Music]

Right to Die (VICE on HBO: Season 4, Episode 3)

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The Netherlands was the first country to legalize euthanasia, with over 37,000 people choosing this option since then.

Assisted suicide remains controversial in the US, but the high-profile cases of Brittany Minard and Cristina Simmons have sparked a national conversation about the right to die.

A family in Oregon is grappling with the decision of when and how to end the matriarch's life due to a debilitating disease.

The husband, a former policeman, supports her right to choose and early retirement for this purpose.

The family is keeping the full extent of the situation from their children while navigating the complex emotions and seeking a sense of security.

A man named Humphrey wrote the book "Final Exit," which provides detailed instructions on methods of hastening death for the terminally ill.

The book, still popular after 25 years, includes using helium and nitrogen as a way to die quickly and relatively painlessly.

The book has gained a following from people like Howard Glick, who is suffering from a terminal illness and wants to end his life with dignity, sparking controversy and energizing the right-to-die movement.

The Controversy Over California's End of Life Option Act

The End of Life Option Act (SB 128) is a bill that sparked intense debate in California, with a terminally ill cancer patient advocating for it, while the Catholic Church strongly opposed it.

The bill, supported by 70 percent of Californians, was initially stalled in the legislature due to the influence of the Catholic Church, but it was later revived and passed into law, allowing terminally ill patients the right to choose to end their own lives.

The Controversy of Assisted Suicide in the Netherlands and Belgium

The legalization of euthanasia in the Netherlands and Belgium has led to a widening of the criteria for assisted suicide, including patients with non-terminal illnesses.

The number of euthanasia cases in these countries has been steadily increasing since 2007, raising concerns about the potential overuse of euthanasia for cancer patients and those with long-term psychiatric illnesses.

Despite being supported by friends, the decision of a woman to choose euthanasia is being opposed by her children.

The Impact of Antoinette's Assisted Suicide on the Right to Die Debate

Antoinette's decision to have an assisted suicide showcases the need for more options in end-of-life care.

The event highlights the intensifying debate around assisted suicide laws in the United States.

With millions of baby boomers considering end-of-life decisions, the future extent of these laws remains uncertain.