"It's necessary to give families an option in a painful situation." (Via WTVR)
Now, it's worth noting children will have to get parental consent under the new law and an expert must deem the child is capable of understanding their decision. Still, that's not easing the debate.
Some argue young people don't have the capacity to make the decision to end their own lives, while others say it's not fair that they aren't granted that decision in certain cases. (Via The Independent)
"I won't say a 14-year-old terminal patient in a lot of pain can't decide for herself she doesn't want to be in pain anymore."
"Well, that's a specific case."
"Kids can be influenced by other kids to make decisions they don't want to make." (Via Fox News)
The new law would also grant the right to adults with dementia, which is also a concern. Some suggest dementia patients often change their minds about wanting to die and turn into different people. But what do the people of Belgium think?
According to The Sunday Times, a poll conducted in early October showed more than two-thirds of the public are actually in favor of the new law. (Via The Sunday Times)
Those supporters say it would just bring something that's already happening under more and legal control. Belgian adults were granted euthanasia rights in 2002.
And Sky News reports in the last decade, the number of reported cases per year has risen by nearly 1,200 — from 235 deaths in 2003, to 1,432 in 2012.
A final decision of the law must be approved by Parliament and is expected to take months.
- See more at Newsy.com
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