Epilogue

This epilogue argues that, as suicide tourism has become more popular and freely discussed in the media and in public policy circles, the coverage is not always presented in a positive light. Since such a practice is being exposed selectively, reference is made to two categories of cases. The first involves ‘celebrities’ or public figures. The second includes unfamiliar ‘ordinary’ people who suffer from grave illnesses or experience exceptional states of affairs. While suicide tourism enjoys increasing publicity and is present in public discourse and policy-making in many Western countries these days, reference to it damages its reputation and underlines a strong message that it is an unjust, expensive, eccentric procedure that has the potential for much exploitation with minimal safeguards to protect the most vulnerable people in society, especially at times and in situations when they need such protection to the full.