The assisted dying debate: Charles Falconer and the Observer’s Sonia Sodha tackle the issues

A man reads a 'dying wish' tied to a tree near the Houses of Parliament by a group of terminally ill people and bereaved relatives, in Parliament Square, central London. Photograph: James Manning/PA

Charles Falconer: The current law has been abandoned. The director of public prosecutions (DPP) will not prosecute those motivated by compassion as long as they are not healthcare professionals, despite the fact they are committing a crime to which they have no defence, with a maximum of 14 years in prison.

This half-law brings unnecessary suffering. People fear death because they cannot control its timing or form, and the medical profession can’t help. People go to Switzerland to die earlier than they want, often alone. Those who cannot afford or do not have the energy to go to Switzerland take steps like hoarding pills to take their own lives, often alone to protect their loved ones.