so what do you think of voluntary euthanasia ? ( Archived) (44)

Conrad73: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_in_Switzerland

But whoever assists better be on the level!Legislation on euthanasia in Switzerland permits assisted suicide. For example, lethal drugs may be prescribed as long as the recipient takes an active role in the drug administration. Active euthanasia (such as administering a lethal injection) is not legal. For assisted suicide, the law does not require a physician to be involved, nor does it require the recipient to be a Swiss national. These aspects of the law are unique in the world.The legality of assisted suicide is a result of article 115 of the Swiss Criminal Code, in effect since 1942, which provides:

"Inciting and assisting suicide: Any person who for selfish motives incites or assists another to commit or attempt to commit suicide shall, if that other person thereafter commits or attempts to commit suicide, be liable to a custodial sentence not exceeding five years or to a monetary penalty."

Consequently, assisting suicide is a crime only if the motive for doing so is selfish, such as personal gain.

When an assisted suicide is declared, a police inquiry may be started. Since no crime has been committed in the absence of a selfish motive, these are mostly open and shut cases. Prosecution can occur if doubts are raised about the patient's competence to make an autonomous choice, or about the motivation of anyone involved in assisting the suicide.

Article 115 was interpreted as legal permission to set up organizations administering life-ending medicine only in the 1980s, 40 years after its coming into effect.

Article 115 does not give physicians a special status in assisting suicide, although they are most likely to have access to suitable drugs. Ethical guidelines have cautioned physicians against prescribing lethal drugs. However, the guidelines also recognize that, in exceptional and clearly defined cases, physicians may justifiably assist suicide.[citation needed] Based on more recent ethical, juridical and medical statements, a prescription of Sodium-Pentobarbital is not necessarily contra-indicated, and thus is no longer generally a violation of medical duty of care.