Oblivion

If you endorse suicide as a solution to a problem, are you encouraging others to kill themsleves by this careless act?

Will any new self-assisted suicide laws include an advertising and sale ban that is age restricted?

When you get to the New World checkout, will you need to show your ID to prove you are over 72 when asking for the self-assisted suicide kit? Will the advertisement for "Oblivion" (Death or your money back) carry the message at the bottom of the poster saying: "This self-assisted suicide kit is ideal for old gits and people that have a terminal illness, such as life. Available to anyone over the age of 72. ID may be asked if you appear to be 10 years younger."

Will there be a new market for self injected HIV or cancer cells, which then gives you permission to buy "Oblivion"? Will there be a family pack offering, for those murder-suicide combos where the affected parent ties up loose ends before exercising their human rights in what euthanasia advocates suggest is a dignified and civilised manner?

The gist of the argument is that to publish details of suicide creates copycat suicides that might otherwise not happen - presumably the suicidal person moves out of depression given enough time, or enough help.

So if we really believe this, then surely to advertise and discuss assisted suicide, to term it as a fundamental right and a viable, if not preferred option to managing illness or age, and then ultimately to pass it into law as a human right, is going contrary to the first argument?

You can't stick an advert in the paper for a self-assisted suicide kit and put the disclaimer at the bottom of the advert: Warning - not to be read by young suicidal types, we just want old infirm people who are tired of life to read this advert.

Or is a little collateral damage acceptable when the cause suits?