The issue of euthanasia continues to be a controversial issue in today's society. In recent years there have been numerous debates that have attempted to justify the practice of assisted suicide, otherwise known as euthanasia. The 2007 Gallup poll served to illustrate this fact by showing that more than 75 percent of Americans believe euthanasia should be allowed. However, what Americans have failed to discern is that legalizing any form of euthanasia goes against the sanctity of life and will not result in any limitations on the justifications for why it is performed. It seems that society has become so debauched that the American people honestly feel they can tolerate the end of a precious individual's life. Perhaps, in order to build an adequate point of view on euthanasia, one must be informed about the philology and background of euthanasia. euthanasia, as well as having a clear understanding of some underlying terms. Euthanasia is a term that “derives from the Greek word “euthanatos”, which simply means good death” (Perri, 1996). This word is extremely vulnerable to various interpretations of all people; therefore, many people fail to understand the two distinct types of euthanasia. These two unique types are known as active and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is described as “the deliberate ending of a person's life with the intention of reducing their suffering” (Perri, 1996). For example, active euthanasia can be as simple as injecting a patient with a harmful toxin. On the other hand, passive euthanasia is typically defined as “the withdrawal of medical treatment with the intention of causing the patient's death” (“Types of Euthanasia,” 2001). Now an example of passive euthanasia is simply when a patient is dying and the doctor chooses not to treat them. It is now imperative to recognize the distinction between active and passive euthanasia. Another way euthanasia can be classified is as involuntary or voluntary. Involuntary euthanasia “occurs when a patient's life is ended without the patient's knowledge and consent” (“Types of Euthanasia,” 2001). An obvious example of involuntary euthanasia is when a patient is in a coma and has no ability to decide what should happen to him. Finally, the object of voluntary euthanasia is "the patient asks that action be taken to end his life, or that life-saving therapy be interrupted, with the full knowledge that this will lead to his death" ("Types of euthanasia," 2001).