France To Discuss , Legalizing Assisted Suicide.<br />AP reports that on Sept. 13, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that there will be <br />a national debate about end-of-life options.<br />Those options include the potential legalization of assisted suicide.<br />Assisted suicide is when a lethal dose of drugs is self-administered by a patient.<br />The practice is legal in Switzerland.<br />Euthanasia, which is when a lethal dose of drugs is given by a medical professional, .<br />is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain.<br />In France, patients can currently request <br />“deep, continuous sedation altering consciousness <br />until death” under severe circumstances.<br />Doctors are also allowed to discontinue life-sustaining treatments such as artificial hydration and nutrition, but this can leave patients suffering.<br />Doctors are also allowed to discontinue life-sustaining treatments such as artificial hydration and nutrition, but this can leave patients suffering.<br />Macron previously suggested that he personally favors legalizing physician-assisted suicide.<br />The French government and a panel of citizens will debate the issue in the coming months with the goal of implementing changes next year.<br />The French government and a panel of citizens will debate the issue in the coming months with the goal of implementing changes next year.<br />News of the debate comes after it was revealed that French director Jean-Luc Godard died by assisted suicide on Sept. 13 at the age of 91
