While pain is not the main reason for choosing an earlier death in studies of countries which permit this sort of legislation, it is important and has to be addressed. 

Unbearable pain is pretty frightening; it is something which happens and over the centuries much has gone in finding ways to deal with it.

The legislators are talking about the cases when what is available does not do the job. 

Our decision makers have a problem.

Stronger pain relief has been invented and is known, but is currently prohibited by our parliaments.

Invented in the eighteenth century was a much stronger derivative of the morphia (which is the mainstay of our current medical armoury).

For pain relief it is many times as effective as morphia.

Like morphia it can be addictive - but how significant is this in a person who has only got six months to live anyway?

The product I am speaking about is of course heroin. It is banned in Australia.

It came into widespread use in treating the horrendous battle casualties of the American Civil War. 

If we are passing a law to allow hastening the death of a person in unbearable pain, then our legislators should at the same time allow treatment with something which would alleviate the pain and let the person have the last six months in relative comfort.