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DanielLC comments on [Link] Death with Dignity by Scott Adams - Less Wrong Discussion
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A side effect is something other than the intended effect. If you used it as a placebo, then it would have a 100% occurrence of lethal side effects, but as it is it has none.
That's true. I'll amend my statement: the law forbids harmful (eg lethal) medicine, not just harmful side effects. A deliberately lethal medicine is simply a poison. The law forbids both killing and suicide, so deliberate poisons are obviously illegal.
I'm not saying this is a good state of things; just that there's no hope of it changing. People will not be allowed to buy euthanasia drugs without a doctor's approval, because it will be seen as legalizing both suicide and poison that could be used to murder someone.
The dose makes the poison and that has been known for ages. You can kill a man with water.
"Euthanasia drugs" only make death pleasant and painless. Often they are just an overdose of opiates.
They are a poison. The fact that they can do other things is irrelevant if you're using them as directed for a poison. Although I suppose there might be problems if someone claims to be suicidal so they can underdose and use it for opiates.
I don't think you get it. Everything is poison in the appropriate dose. What usage is "as directed" is irrelevant if you can freely acquire the necessary amounts.
Which is one reason most opiates, and most other drugs you can easily overdose on and die (as opposed to water), are not legal to buy without prescription.
Actually, no, the reason why you can't buy opiates without a prescription is because they are addictive psychoactives.
You can very easily overdose on Tylenol (acetaminophen, paracetamol), but it will take you a while to die from liver failure. You can buy unlimited amount of Tylenol in every pharmacy.
Like I said, dangerous overdoses and side effects are one reason, not the only reason.
Which drugs are legal, and which don't require prescriptions, is in large part a matter of historical contingency, lobbying and politics. But there are other reasons too, and dangerous side effects or overdose effects are among the more important ones.