Hello Dr. Sullivan and class. Today I am going to talk to you about euthanasia. Euthanasia, or voluntary assisted suicide, has become a huge debate not only in Australia, but around the world. The moral, legal, philosophical, human rights and religious reasons behind euthanasia were the main topics of discussion. Euthanasia is an individual's choice to participate in assisted suicide while legally suffering. There have been many attempts to legalize euthanasia in Australia, but at present it remains against the law. On May 25, 1995, Australia's Northern Territory became the first place in the world to pass right-to-die legislation. The Terminally Ill Rights Act lasted nine months before being overturned by the Australian Federal Parliament. Today, voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in all states and territories of Australia. Although euthanasia is illegal in Australia, there are some parts of the world where it is legal to assist another person to commit suicide. In Switzerland, lethal medications can be prescribed to a Swiss or a foreigner, with the recipient taking an active part in administering the medication. This means that anyone can travel to Switzerland and participate in euthanasia. Although in the United States the majority of the country has banned euthanasia, there are still some states where it is legal, but you must be from that state. These states include Oregon, Washington and Montana. Other countries where assisted suicide is legal for their own citizens include the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, Colombia, Albania and, just a few weeks ago, Belgium removed the age completely required for euthanasia, meaning children can now die at will. against euthanasia ... middle of paper ...... keeping people alive costs a lot of money, which could be used to save other people's lives. Even though I read these arguments in favor of this cause, I still believe that euthanasia is wrong. Reasons against euthanasia include the fact that many painkilling drugs can now help a patient die with dignity, except that a dying patient may not be able to make a rational decision. A patient may have said he wanted euthanasia even though he was far from dying; however, when faced with death, they may change their mind but be unable to tell anyone. Many people are known to recover after being “written off” by doctors. It is also possible that people were pressured into saying they wanted euthanasia by relatives who did not want to care for them. These are strong arguments against euthanasia and are why it is such a hot topic around the world. Thanks for listening.