Euthanasia for what? Attending to the role of stigma in addiction‐related ‘intractable suffering’ and ‘incurability’

Abstract

Calls for euthanasia for addiction imply that suffering is a natural component of the 'disease' of addiction. We argue that stigma and discrimination are prime contributors to this suffering and must be taken into account in deliberations about euthanasia. We call for greater efforts to tackle them, including legislative reforms.

A New Framework for Evaluating the Potential for Drug Law to Produce Stigma: Insights from an Australian Study

“…This includes our own work -influenced by Australian poststructuralist scholar Carol Bacchi 40 -that highlights the importance of tracing the material-discursive and lived effects of law and policy, including its potential to generate stigma. 41 Finally, we suggest, it must also take account of critiques of Goffman and attempts to rework his approach. We now turn to those.…”

“…Thirdly, although we recognize that the criminalization of drug use is a particular problem that might impose barriers for people who are convicted of drug-related offences, this is a selective example that does little to advance understandings of how stigma and discrimination manifest in other legal contexts. Importantly, as Seear and Fraser 31 have noted, AOD issues figure in a wide range of legal settings beyond the familiar setting of the criminal law, including: personal injury law, family law, family violence, administrative law, social security law, international refugee law, sports law, public health law, contract law, and discrimination law. In discussions, then, about the law's relationship to stigma and discrimination, it is important to first acknowledge the wide range of contexts within which AOD issues might figure, as well as the potential for diverse -and even contradictory -approaches.…”

“…In discussions, then, about the law's relationship to stigma and discrimination, it is important to first acknowledge the wide range of contexts within which AOD issues might figure, as well as the potential for diverse -and even contradictory -approaches. Seear and Fraser 32 call for analyses underpinned by an understanding of law as ontologically multiple (following Mol) 33 and as constitutive and productive in its effects. A comprehensive framework that enables us to capture all of these dynamics is needed.…”

Reasons for ambivalence about accepting addiction as a reason for performing euthanasia

“…Seear & Fraser are sceptical about the concept of addiction. They believe that requests for euthanasia made by addicted people arise because of stigmatization and discrimination.…”