According to an article that appeared a few days ago in the New York Times, there is a new movement in the United States called “Aid in Dying”. It’s supporters try to avoid calling it what it really is – assisted suicide – but, whatever they call it, it’s gaining traction.
Until 2008, assisted suicide was legal in just one state: Oregon. Today, it’s legal in five states: Montana, Oregon, Washington, Vermont and New Mexico. Supporters of the right for a terminally ill patient to choose aid in dying are supporting “death with dignity” bills in Connecticut and other states.
Lawsuits in New Mexico and Montana related to this topic have resulted in a differentiation between aid in dying, which is now legal, and assisted suicide, which is still considered a crime in both of those states.
Church groups have weighed in on the topic and claim that aid in dying is morally wrong. However, more and more people are asking for the right to die on their own terms according to Barbara Coombs Lee, president of Compassion & Choices.
In May 2013, a Gallup Poll was conducted. It asked whether doctors should be allowed to “end the patient’s life by some painless means” when patients and their families want it. 70% said yes. However, when asked whether doctors should be allowed to help a dying patient “commit suicide”, only 51% said they should. It’s clear that the exact wording is critically important in assessing how people really feel about the issue and on what is actually legal.
What do you think? Should aid in dying be made legal in your state?
To learn more about other topics related to death, go to www.diesmart.com.