The David Dimbleby lecture delivered by Tony Robinson on behalf of Terry Pratchett discussed assisted suicide.

Personally I am for it if it only applies to Terminally ill patients with chronic pain with no further chance of survival. If it is what they wish then I think they have the right to make this choice.

After all if a pet is in permanent discomfort with no quality of life we put it down and call it 'humane'.

What is right in keeping people alive just for the sake of it?

Please can this topic be moved to Random Rants. I posted it to Newbury News in error.

Guess what my first thought was when I started reading!

Absoluting nothing.

If people want to die and their chances of recovery are zero then keeping them alive is nothing more than torture. I think it is disgraceful the way we force elderly people to suffer for another few months for no reason other than the feelings of others.

I don't think the issue is whether anyone has the right to end their own life if they want. The issue with Assisted Suicide is whether the person who assits should be prosecuted. This come up on question time last night.

Exactly. As with all extreme subjects, this isn't a simple 'put them out of their misery' topic. To change the law means things must be for the better. In my view, a change in law could open a whole new set of problems.

I have real problems with this subject. For many years doctors have 'helped' people at the end of their lives with a little extra morphine, my dad was one and I am really grateful for the care and compassion of the doctor.

I cant recall anyone being prosecuted when they have accompanied someone to the clinic in Switzerland and I am sure there are far more people than we read about in the press.

My concern comes when this becomes regulated. At present NICE withholds life extending drugs based on cost- is this not enforced suicide? With an aging population wouldn't the temptation be to 'help' people before they need it?

An aging wealthy reletive that needs care 'persuaded' there's nothing to live for. Or indeed an aging poor one that 'feels' they are in the way.

People have been prosecuted for accompanying family members to the clinc in Switzerland. I don't believe anyone has actually been found guilty and in some cases the Judge has thrown it out.