Why Euthanasia Should Not Be Legal for People Under the Age of 25

Why euthanasia should not be legal? In this essay I will present the points why I believe that euthanasia should not be legalized for people under the age of 25. According to the Oxford Dictionary Euthanasia is described as, “the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma”. The practice is illegal in most countries, and each country where euthanasia is legal has their own set of rules regarding the process. Throughout the United States euthanasia is illegal, while physician assisted suicide is legal in a handful of states. Physician assisted suicide is different than euthanasia, because physician assisted suicide involves making the lethal means readily available to the patient to be used at their own choosing. On the other hand, voluntary active euthanasia involves the physician taking an active role in carrying out the patient's death, and usually involves injection of a lethal substance. In most places where euthanasia is legal minors may themselves request euthanasia from the age of 12, although the consent of the parents or guardian is mandatory until they reach the age of 16. 

Why should euthanasia be illegal for teenagers?

Experts predict that the mind is not fully developed until the age of 25. A teen's undeveloped brain places them at a higher risk of being reactive in their decision-making, and less competent than adults when considering the consequences of their choices. Recent research has even found that adult and teen brains function differently when making decisions. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, which is the brain’s rational part. Yet, teens process information with the amygdala. This is the emotional part. This is why teens tend to make more impulsive choices, because they are driven by the emotional part of their brains. If a teen is going through a rough time their emotionally driven way of thinking may lead them to feel like their life will never get better. Failing an exam or getting broken up with can potentially feel like the end of the world for some teenagers, however when they look back on these events, they can see how irrational they were being in the moment. As well, teenagers with real mental illnesses can seek help through a variety of resources. Therapy is often the fastest, most effective way to overcome issues that can keep you from living the life you desire. Professionally certified therapists are experts in how humans process thoughts and emotions, and can teach people to manage their stress, build skills to be a better leader, or even treat clinical depression. Therapy can teach teens to catch their unhelpful thoughts and correct them before they impact their feelings. 

The brain has plasticity, which means it is able to adapt and change as a result of experiences. All behaviors and experiences you endure until the age of 25 have potential to impact your developing brain. Positive experiences like succeeding at a goal, getting accepted into their dream school, or making new friends have the ability to completely change a person’s mindset for the better. Around half of teens who experience a brief episode of depression or anxiety do not go on to have a mental illness in adulthood, according to a study from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. The study also suggests that early treatment in teenage years, which shortens the duration of episodes of depression and anxiety, could help to prevent the progression of mental illness later in life. There is a high probability that a person can grow out of their mental illness if given the proper treatments and a healthy lifestyle. Depression affects about 20% of adolescents by the time they become adults, so nobody going through this struggle is alone. If a teenager feels like there is no hope in a specific moment, who is to say that they aren’t acting irrationally or that their future experiences won’t change their mindset?

Since a teens mind isn’t fully developed, they tend to lack clarity, and therefore should not be able to make the permanent choice to end their own life. Most teens don’t even realize they are being irrational in the moment, until they look back on their thought processes later on. Since euthanasia is the ending of one’s life, it is a permanent decision. To make a decision like this it is important that someone is fully aware of the consequences and that they are in a good frame of mind to make that decision. Someone doesn’t even have the opportunity to look back on a decision like euthanasia, because of its permanent consequences. Teens shouldn’t see death as their only option, but instead they should be given a variety of resources to support them. Good medical care aims to eliminate the pain, not kill the patient. And seriously ill patients with good medical care rarely want to end their lives. If euthanasia were to be legalized what is the incentive for people to seek out quality care? Currently, with euthanasia deemed illegal, it means that maximum efforts are made to address all aspects of a person’s suffering. However, if euthanasia was to be made legal, in most cases it would be cheaper then continuous quality care and leave people feeling like death is their only option when there are so many more resources out there. Someone suffering may feel a burden to choose death, in order to alleviate their family members of their medical bills and many doctors’ visits.

There are age restrictions for drinking, driving, joining the military, social media accounts and many other life events. So, why should euthanasia be any different? Age restrictions are an everyday factor of life and are in place to protect people from dangerous occurrences. If there were no age restrictions the world would be a chaotic place with middle schoolers driving, and people of all ages purchasing and consuming alcohol. Some people may argue that if teenagers are legally able to join the military at age 18 or drive at the age of 16, then why shouldn’t they be able to make the decision of euthanasia? However, there is a very simple answer to this. Both driving and joining the military are vastly different then someone declaring their own death. Driving is helpful and allows young people to get to school and to work when their parents can’t drive them. Joining the military is a way for teenagers to help the country and provides teenagers with free education and a career. Although driving and joining the military can potentially lead to a person’s death, someone isn’t participating in these activities with the intention of death. However, with euthanasia someone is making the permanent decision to officially end their life. When choosing to drive or join the military it is because of the benefits it will bring to yourself or society, not because your ultimate goal is death.

When joining the military people must go through extensive evaluations and training, and when getting a license to drive people must first get a permit and then pass a driver’s test. These precautions are put in place to ensure the safety of participants in these activities. If these same evaluations and precautions are given to teenagers choosing euthanasia, it would be more morally justifiable for people under the age of 25 to make this permanent decision. Some of these precautions could include an extensive mental evaluation, as well as a period of time between their decision and the actual act of euthanasia taking place. Since mental illness is common in teenagers it is important that their illness has been treated to the fullest extent before they make the decision to choose euthanasia. When it is clear that mental illness is not influencing their decision-making process, it can be assured that they are in the right frame of mind. Additionally, a period of time between their initial decision to choose euthanasia and the actual event taking place could provide teenagers with the time they need to think over their decision. Since a teenager’s brain isn’t fully developed, this time period for them to think over their decision could prevent them from making an impulsive or irrational decision. During this time resources, such a therapy and medications, could be provided for them to also clarify that this is the right decision for them.

Conclusion

Overall, a teenager’s brain isn’t fully developed until the age of 25, and therefore they should not be able to make the permanent decision to end their own life. Adult and teen brains function differently when making decisions because adults think with the prefrontal cortex, yet teens process information with the amygdala. Since the amygdala is the emotional part of the brain, they tend to make more emotional decisions and lack clarity. However, a set of rules and procedures prior to the act of euthanasia taking place could allow euthanasia for minors to be more morally justifiable. Before making the decision mental evaluations and a brief time period to think about their decision can counteract a teenager’s impulsive way of thinking.

Work Cited

1. “At What Age Is The Brain Fully Developed?” Mental Health Daily, 19 Feb. 2015, mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/02/18/at-what-age-is-the-brain-fully-developed/.
2. “Should There Be Age Limits for Euthanasia?” Debate.org, www.debate.org/opinions/should-there-be-age-limits-for-euthanasia.
3. “Understanding the Teen Brain .” Understanding the Teen Brain - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center, www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=3051.
4. “Understanding the Teen Brain .” Understanding the Teen Brain - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center, www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=3051.
5. Veiligheid, Justitie en. “Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide and Non-Resuscitation on Request.” Euthanasia | Government.nl, Ministerie Van Algemene Zaken, 6 June 2017, www.government.nl/topics/euthanasia/euthanasia-assisted-suicide-and-non-resuscitation-on-request.