New Jersey recently passed a law allowing terminally ill patients to take a lethal dose of medication and end their lives. This “euthanasia pill” as some are calling it, may be prescribed by a medical professional, and it is to be self-administered by the patient.
New Jersey isn’t the first state to do this! “Mercy killings” or “euthanasia” has been legal in several states for quite some time. For example, Oregon has been allowing the terminally ill to make the decision to pass away on their own terms since 1997, when they passed their Death with Dignity Act.
Connecticut also has a bill in the works, currently labeled HB 5898. This Act will allow a person to end his or her own life. However, it comes with additional caveats that not every state requires. For example, each patient will have had to attend counseling prior to obtaining the drug.
Each patient must still be of sound mind when they request the euthanasia from their health care provider. They also must sign a series of consent forms. If a patient is unable to do so, they will not be able to obtain the medication.
Connecticut’s bill has not yet been passed. In fact, it did not come up for a committee vote in the 2019 session in Connecticut. Instead, the bill was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Health on January 23, 2019, and as of April 1, 2019 the voting is to hold until their next meeting.
If this Act were to be passed in the State of Connecticut it could drastically change the lives of the terminally ill who reside here. Whether they live at home or in a facility, if they meet the law’s requirements, they would be able to make the choice of when and where they pass away.
It is up to the Connecticut lawmakers now to decide whether or not the terminally ill will be able to take their own lives. Should this be legalized in Connecticut?
