Today I was visiting Exit. This is an organization that deals with what they refer to as assisted suicide. Switzerland is one of the few countries in the world, where this is legal (apparently the US state Oregon have similar laws but on the other hand they kill people all over the US instead of putting them in jail, so perhaps that doesn't count).
Unlike what most people think, these are not "death clinics". It is very stricly regulated by law how this is done. You cannot just ring their door, being depressed, saying "kill me".
Assisted suicide only happens after extensive counselling, meetings with doctors, and making sure that there is no other way out. Suicide prevention is actually one of their branches. Besides, the drug they use can only be prescribed by a doctor on a case-by-case basis, so no death angels are welcome in the organization.
And there is no "death tourism". Only Swiss people, or people who live in Switzerland, are allowed to die on demand.
Last year they assisted 260 people, which is about one a day on working days. Apparently that was a peak year. There are 12 people working with admin in the organization, and they have 25 people who are not employed but who assist with the actual dying business.
However, they do not actively support, so people who want to die have to drink the "death drug" themselves.
Most people choose to die at home, but they do have a room in their office which is only used like every 3 months. This is for people who cannot or do not want to die at home. It was a room with a bed, some lights and some chairs. Very spartan.
And yes, I will support them, hoping I will never have to use their services, but I do like the fact that if somebody gets an incurable disease, and there is no hope at all, then there is help to get. In Switzerland.
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2 comments:
I always thought non-Swiss residents could use their services, or maybe thats Dignitas. Anyway sounds like a good cause to me. It was legal briefly here in the Northern Territory, but the federal government overturned the law. There is quite a push to reinstate it though including TV ads by Exit (which were later banned)
I guess it's all a matter of money in the end.
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