This article examines the impact of a social policy endorsing voluntary euthanasia. It suggests that such a policy would break down barriers, now already feeble, to suicide by incompetent persons, and explores its implications for both the healing and legal professions. It points out that such a policy would be difficult to contain because of the lack of clear distinctions between the kinds of suffering that would be invoked to justify voluntary euthanasia. It also discusses the insufficiencies of possible safeguards.