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Nitschke Expand on Euthanasia Beliefs
The Sydney Morning Herald
July 8, 2009
Australia
Philip Nitschke says he no longer believes voluntary euthanasia should only be available to the terminally ill but that elderly people afraid of getting old and incapacitated should also have a choice.
The controversial campaigner made the comment on Wednesday at a public forum in Perth, where he spoke before about 100 mostly elderly people about strategies "for a peaceful death", including his Exit Euthanasia Drug Test Kit.
More chairs had to be brought in to accommodate the capacity crowd at the Cambridge Library building in the northern Perth suburb of Floreat.
During his speech Dr Nitschke presented the case of West Australian academic Lisette Nigot, who terminated her life after deciding she did not want to live beyond 80 years of age, when she felt her mind and body would start to deteriorate.
He showed the audience a letter Ms Nigot penned, explaining her choice.
"I have terminated my life of my own volition," Ms Nigot wrote. "The reason? Because after 80 years of good life, I have had enough of it.
"I want to stop it before it gets bad."
The death of the French-born Ms Nigot later became the subject of a documentary by Janine Hosking titled Mademoiselle and the Doctor.
However, Dr Nitschke warned the audience of the dangers of assisting a loved one in their suicide, which is punishable by up to 20 years' jail.
During his talk he said the best drug for voluntary euthanasia was Nembutal, used by veterinarians to put down animals.
He said the sleeping drug, which he said killed Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Jimi Hendrix, was a "peaceful" way to die.
Dr Nitschke said the drug was readily available in Mexico.
Despite the topic, Dr Nitschke kept the public forum light-hearted.
Cheery music was played as he played a video with "Betty", an elderly, homely looking woman who demonstrated how to make a plastic bag for voluntary euthanasia.
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