It’s official: Out-of-state interests are again trying to push Maryland lawmakers to legalize the dangerous practice of physician-assisted suicide.
These bills, which are often referred to as “Death with dignity” or “aid in dying” by its proponents, are similar to the proposals that have rightly failed year after year. We need your help to stop it.
- Follow this link to the General Assembly’s “Find My Representatives” page: mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/District
- Select the “Look Up” button.
- Enter your home address and zip code, then select “Find.”
- Once your Representatives are displayed, scroll down and select “Email.”
- Upon selecting “Email”, you should be redirected to your email where the email addresses will already be included and you can draft your communication.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us: campaign@stopassistedsuicideMD.org.
Example Email Message Content:
Dear Senator and Representatives,
As your constituent, I’m writing to ask that you oppose HB.933 and SB.845, both which wrongly seek to legalize physician-assisted suicide (PAS).
Supporters of this legislation argue it would create a dignified death for people suffering from a terminal condition and with less than six months to live. This argument overlooks a critical fact: Maryland residents already have near universal access to hospice and palliative care that can provide a pain-free, dignified end to life. There is always room to improve these programs, but overall they are a major success.
“Death with dignity” legislation is not only unnecessary, it’s dangerous, with a complete lack of safeguards to prevent coercion and abuse of Maryland’s most vulnerable patients such as the disabled, poor, and minorities.
– Legalizing “death with dignity” normalizes suicide. This serves to encourage suicide by those who previously may have only considered it. When you already believe your life is not worth living, “death with dignity” may seem like an invitation to commit suicide.
– The bill never contains adequate provisions to ensure that suicide prescriptions are kept safe or disposed of properly. These ready-made suicide drugs, classified as opioids, are a unique danger in both the home and community at large.
– Lastly, “Death with dignity” prescriptions are given to patients at their local pharmacy, the patient takes the lethal drugs at home without any health care providers present, and there is no requirement to tell family members ahead of time.
This bill would not provide a dignified death. There are better ways to help Marylanders improve their end of life care than this dangerous bill.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.