The right to die: Should MAiD apply to those whose sole condition is mental illness?

Tim Stainton says “No would be my answer (to MAiD expansion). Primarily because we’re not at a point where we could ever say that (mental illness) is not curable or untreatable.

Secondly, we’ve known for decades now that our mental-health system is woefully inadequate and woefully underfunded. It’s difficult to get even basic CBT therapy. You can be prescribed medication, but for a lot of people that’s also not going to be a full answer. Most psychiatric medications work well some of the time. But it’s not the same as medication for an acute condition where we know what’s going to have an impact and what that impact is going to be.

If we have a situation where we don’t know if a condition is irredeemable, and we know that it’s unlikely people are going to be able to get the amount and type of support they need in our current systems, then essentially you’re solving the problem of inadequate mental-health services with MAiD.”