It&#x27;s mostly a vestige of religion. Life is considered sacred and it is not supposed to be your own choice whether you want to live or die but up to god in some form or other.<p>This then became enshrined in law as well as in medical practice (though in medicine there has long been a recognition that not all life extending medical practice is compatible with medical ethics doctors are still bound by the laws of the land and in plenty of cases doctors that assisted with suicide have been charged with murder).<p>Quite a few countries have now moved to the point where in the case of grave illness or pain you have the ability to request an end to your life.<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Legality_of_euthanasia" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Legality_of_euthanasia</a>