Euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide is as controversial as abortion, and remains an issue of passionate debate. Some people feel that it is morally wrong to deny a terminally ill patient assistance in ending his/her life, while others believe that no human has the right to end a life. Euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide is a complex issue of various moral and ethical views.
             The word 'euthanasia' is rooted in Greek, meaning 'good death,' ( 'eu' – good; 'thanatos' – death) (Robinson). The general meaning refers to the act of assisting an individual who has chosen to terminate his/her life, however other definitions of euthanasia include both "voluntary and involuntary termination of life," thus resulting in various meanings and much confusion (Robinson).
             Passive euthanasia is the act of hastening death by removing life support equipment, ceasing medical procedures and medications, and not performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation when the heart has stopped, all of which allow an individual to die a 'natural death,' that is by altering support, nature can then take its course (Robinson). Large doses of morphine is one of the most common forms of passive euthanasia, and is generally administered to relieve pain, however large doses will suppress respiration, thus it serves a dual purpose, one to ease pain and the other to hasten death (Robinson). This form of passive euthanasia is considered ethical among most medical societies and within most political jurisdictions (Robinson). The above procedures are often performed on terminally ill patients who are suffering from intense pain, such as cancer patients, or those who exist in a persistent vegetative state, such as patients with massive brain damage (Robinson).
             Active euthanasia involves the direct act of causing the death of an individual at his/her request, and is generally re...