I HAVE been reading with interest the debate in your paper on "death with dignity".

This is a very emotive subject and, at a national level, there are many eminent and learned people debating this subject.

However, when a decision is taken to terminate the life of a person who is sick or elderly on the grounds that his or her life is no longer worth living, this is euthanasia, be it with or without consent of the person who is killed.

The right to be able to choose to die can too easily become a duty to die and the philosophical advocates of euthanasia have often made this clear. Given the flawed logic of human beings, once society allows voluntary euthanasia we will have set the wheels in motion that will inevitably lead us to non-voluntary euthanasia.

I note that one of your correspondents quotes the current position in Holland. It may be of interest to note that the government there is becoming increasingly concerned at the number of people who are "dying with dignity", and also at the zeal with which some doctors are carrying this out.

J Hudson,

Fairway,

Rawcliffe Lane, York.

Updated: 10:45 Monday, February 13, 2006