I think that suicide should be legal and that the State should assist it in certain situations, although I would not want to provide examples, as it would be insensitive to the surviving family and friends.
If life seems an unbearable burden, then an individual should be instructed in methods of securing a painless and clean exit that will not cause undue distress to anyone else. An emphasis should be placed upon getting one's financial affairs in order and informing friends and family of the fatal decision, so as to lessen the shock and trauma of survivors.
There are many parallels between the laws against suicide and the laws against drugs. In each case, the State presumes to know more than the individual about how to manage his own body. The State claims to have an extraordinary interest in what is consumed by the individual's body. Yet the State is unwilling to provide nutritious food or shelter, resulting in many people being homeless or not eating a proper diet. Although the State is gravely concerned if a person smokes a joint or attempts suicide, malnutrition is not an issue of any concern, nor obesity, high-fat, or high-sugar diets. The State is therefore a two-faced hypocrite.
Is it the role of government to ensure that an individual makes the "right" personal choices from the government's point of view? How is it the prerogative of the State to forbid the ingestion of certain substances or to dictate an individual must continue living?
There is one area where the parallels between suicide and drug use disappear. Enormous resources--billions of dollars--are devoted to apprehending marijuana users, but tiny sums are devoted to suicide prevention. Firing up a joint is deemed of vital concern, but terminating a life is not. There are no undercover operations underway to detect and apprehend the many suicidal individuals. The underlying subtext is, "go for it." Anyone interested in suicide can research a variety of methods on the Internet, and no one is capable of stopping them. Even in prison, it is a simple matter to commit suicide by using a sharpened object to slash a wrist or any length of fiber suitable for a noose.
The reason people do not commit suicide is that most people enjoy life or think that it is necessary, which is similar to the reason most people remain sober. If heroin, meth, or crack were legal, and everyone were given free samples, usage among most Americans would not increase over what it is today. People are not quite as stupid as predicted by our draconian laws. However, in the case of an addict, he will find his poison, whatever the law says. Addicts need treatment to address their addiction. Prison time simply introduces them to different varieties of criminals.
There are certain life situations that make suicide an appealing choice. Incurable medical conditions are one such scenario, but there are others. If freedom is a societal value, and if it is what distinguishes our country from others, then we should permit individuals the ultimate freedom to decide the destiny of their own body.
However, suicide in response to depression should be minimized, although it cannot be prevented. Depression goes untreated too often. Men believe that depression, and in particular visible manifestations such as crying, are a sign of weakness. In reality, depression is a physical, medical condition involving the brain. The brain suffers from problems just like any other organ. Some problems are minor, while others are quite severe. Yet a person with diabetes suffers from less stigma than a person with depression.
To recover from depression, people treat themselves, using food, exercise, booze, pills, pot, or other substances. I have listed the remedies in order of their estimated popularity. Exercise may be one of the more effective remedies. Some people resort to substances, however. Hence the drug problem that the Republicans want to answer with assault rifles, draconian prison terms, and other punitive measures. The result? Over two million Americans are behind bars. Our prison population is larger than that of any other country on the planet Earth. Yet the rates of drug use have remained fairly constant.
A more realistic method must be adopted to tackle mental health issues. More psychologists are needed to treat depressed individuals. Those who contemplate suicide based upon a depressed state should be offered free mental health counseling and free medication. This should be given free of charge, because it is in the interest of society for people to get better. Rather than funding a Drug Enforcement Agency to vandalize state-licensed marijuana clinics, the government should fund a Mental Health Agency to counsel people that are suffering from depression.
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