British Doctor Richard Smith Insists Having Cancer Is The ‘Best Way To Die,’ Opposes Finding Cure, Sparks Controversy

Dr. Richard Smith has a different perspective on cancer. While millions have banned together to fight the ailing disease and find cures, the British doctor personally feels that cancer isn’t so bad. As a matter of fact, Dr. Smith recently stated that he feels it’s the best way to die, and that billions of dollars are being wasted on research to find a cure for it.

According to the Daily Mail, Dr. Smith recently shared a blog post that outlined his opinion of cancer. He stated why he thinks cancer would probably be a more “preferable” form of death than “the long, slow death from dementia,” different types of organ failure and, of course, sudden death.

The former British Medical Journal editor also referred to the intimate writings of avant-garde surrealist Luis Buñuel. The late Spanish filmmaker shared his wish for “a slower death” in his 1983 book, The Last Sigh, released just a year before his death. Dr. Smith also feels cancer can be that wish because it gives people a chance to “prepare for death.” In the blog post, he also explained his theory about preparing for death from an emotional perspective, and how it can be beneficial to the terminally ill person and their loved ones.

Here’s an excerpt from his blog post.

“The long, slow death from dementia may be the most awful as you are slowly erased, but then again when death comes it may be just a light kiss,” he wrote. “Death from organ failure – respiratory, cardiac, or kidney – will have you far too much in hospital and in the hands of doctors.”

“So death from cancer is the best… You can say goodbye, reflect on your life, leave last messages, perhaps visit special places for a last time, listen to favourite pieces of music, read loved poems, and prepare, according to your beliefs, to meet your maker or enjoy eternal oblivion. This is, I recognize, a romantic view of dying, but it is achievable with love, morphine, and whisky. But stay away from overambitious oncologists, and let’s stop wasting billions trying to cure cancer, potentially leaving us to die a much more horrible death.”

Needless to say, Dr. Smith’s opinion has sparked quite a debate. Although many people find his views enlightening because he’s found a seemingly positive silver lining with the disease, others are still quite outraged by his analysis. The heated debate has shed light on several different perspectives of cancer — both positive and negative. While some agreed with Dr. Smith, others felt cancer can be just as agonizing as the other illnesses he mentioned. Many were outraged and felt his opinion was quite insensitive.

“Having seen several of my dear friends die from cancer, and with my dear wife being treated for the same, I find this idiot doctors remarks offensive as they are crassly stupid. What clowns we have in the medical profession. This man should be removed.”

“I agree with the doctor. You’re so well looked after if you get cancer, the health service is better geared up for this disease than any other, they have specialist Macmillan nurses and there are financial and social advantages to support you that are not found with other diseases.”

“Many cancers are inherited by a faulty gene. We should stop interfering and leave it to mother nature. Hopefuly in the future it will have disappeared from the human race. The doctor probably wouldn’t want his daughter breeding passing on the gene to her children maybe he’s hoping cancer will die out of humans?”

“If this doctor had some common sense, he would not have made this highly irresponsible statement in the first place. It is easier to say than actually suffer from this horrific illness.”

Do you agree or disagree with Dr. Richard Smith’s opinion of cancer being “the best way to die?” Share your thoughts.

[Image via Gadoo]