I just found this on the BBC website and hoooly shit does this raise some difficult questions. Basically in Belgium they are planning/debating to allow Children of any age to request Euthanasia if they are dying from a painful terminal disease. Some people see this as a gesture of mercy, ending the suffering of those in agony. Others see it as madness that they are considering to allow children to request euthanasia. Personally? I think that whilst it might seem horrific, it's the right thing. If a child is dying anyway, shouldn't they be allowed to go peacefully with their friends and family rather than coughing blood up and passing out until the flatline noise is heard? Link to the Article [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25651758]Right to Die[/url] [quote][u]A breakdown of the bill and explanation of the content by a Belgian Law Student :D[/u] Since some of people don't seem to know exactly what the bill entails and are jumping to the wrong conclusions ("they're just letting a child decide to die???"), I'll explain it a little further. The current Euthanasia Law in Belgium states that any adult can request and receive euthanasia under certain conditions. This proposal seeks to amend the law and expand it to people of any age, being children. For a child to request euthanasia, he or she needs to be: -fully capable of judgment, understanding and rationale at the time of the decision -in a 'medically hopeless scenario of intolerable and continuous pain that can not be relieved and will lead to death within a short time, as a result of a severe and incurable condition' If the child decides to request the procedure, the assistance, advice and evaluation by both a youth psychiatrist and psychologist are mandatory. That specialist will get familiar with the child's medical file, personality, capability of judgment, understanding of the procedure and its consequnces. Those findings will be written down in a report that will then be evaluated by the doctors responsible for the child's treatment. They take it up with the parents or legal guardian of the child, who need to consent with the procedure too. Furthermore, the doctor in charge needs to educate the child about the entire procedure. All possible scenarios need to be evaluated and it is only if the child fully understands everything as best as possible, if the doctor reaches the conclusion that this is the best (and only reasonable) solution and that the child decides this without any coercion, that the procedure can continue. Also, if it seems that the patient's death is not due within a short period of time, a panel will be involved to give a second opinion and re-evaluate everything before making the final choice.[/quote] I know the Poll is worded strongly, but I expect to see some pretty strong emotive responses to this hence the clear cut answers.