Safe Exit has risks

A controversial speaker held an even more controversial talk in Toronto on Wednesday.

Australian doctor Philip Nitschke led the city’s first “Safe Exit” workshop, which provides individuals with reliable and comprehensive advice on methods to end their own lives.

The workshop is aimed at helping those considering ending their lives to find methods that allow them to commit suicide without implicating others—who can face a penalty of up to 14 years in jail for assisting them.

Dr. Nitschke is the director of Exit International, an advocacy group for voluntary euthanasia based in Australia. He was the first doctor in the world to conduct a legal and lethal voluntary injection in 1996.

Both assisted suicide and euthanasia are controversial topics, and the Safe Exit workshops, which have previously been held twice in Vancouver, are no exception. The fact that the legality of the workshops has yet to be determined in a court of law has not prevented a fierce ethical debate concerning Dr. Nitschke’s actions.

There’s no reason why individuals who have concerns about their quality of life shouldn’t be allowed to take advantage of this advice, especially those fighting a terminal illness.

People who want to kill themselves will find a way. Often they use violent and traumatic methods that can endanger others and traumatize those they leave behind. Pursuing the opinion of a medical expert in a non-stigmatized environment helps mitigate these consequences.

The real issue becomes more one of a “slippery slope,” where we risk putting ideas about suicide into the minds of individuals who would otherwise never have considered it. While the talks are limited to those over 50, no consideration appears to have been given as to the mental or emotional state of those participating.

Dr. Nitschke is quick to point out that the workshops function only as a factual question and answer period and that he does not personally encourage anyone to kill themselves. Regardless, there must be some kind of screening process to ensure that this information only reaches those equipped to handle it.

Until a legal ruling is made, Dr. Nitschke will likely continue to offer his advice to those who pursue it. It’s good that he is doing so, but a great deal more consideration needs to be given to keeping this information in the right hands.

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