Switzerland Allows Suicide Pods To Help People End Their Lives Painlessly

Do you think the right to die is as intrinsic to individual freedom as your right to life? If yes, Switzerland's latest move that allows suicide would interest you.

Voluntary euthanasia is a contentious topic for most societies, for ending your own life comes attached with a lot of socio-cultural taboos. Switzerland is at the forefront of embracing the right to die after legalising portable suicide capsules, which were green-lit by the country's medical board.

Exit International

What are these suicide pods?

These suicide capsules are 3D-printed pods that can be operated by the user inside. Called "The Sarco Suicide Pods," the pods were created by Exit International, The Daily Mail reported.

The company behind these pods, Exit International has advocated for the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia.

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Of course, one has to qualify to die before they decide to end their life. A survey is presented to each user to ensure the decision is their own and not influenced by any other factors.

Once inside the suicide pod, users are required to answer a set of pre-recorded questions and then press a button to initiate the process.

Exit International

How do users of suicide pods die?

In these suicide pods, death occurs in less than a minute through hypoxia and hypocapnia, i.e., by reducing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels respectively. This gives people a chance to die relatively painlessly, The Independent reported.

The 3D-printed suicide pods could come in handy to those suffering from chronic diseases and long-term ailments who no longer see merit in going on.

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Exit International

Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since 1942. In fact, just last year, about 1,300 took their own lives using services of euthanasia organisations like Dignitas and Exit. The most common method is ingesting a capsule which induces a coma before causing death.

What do you think - should the right to die be a democratic right? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. For more in the world of tech and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

If you know anyone battling with depression or other mental health issues, please reach out to someone who can help. AASRA Foundation: 022 2754 6669 Samaritans Mumbai: +91 84229 84528 / +91 84229 84529 / +91 84229 84530 Sanjivini Society for Mental Health: +911124311918

Citation

Phillips, J. (2021, December 7). 3D-printed coffin-like ¡°suicide capsules¡± are legalised in Switzerland. Mail Online.

Cuthbertson, A. (2021, December 6). Suicide machine that can be controlled by blinking faces ¡®no legal issues¡¯ in Switzerland. The Independent.