Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old terminally ill woman who moved to Oregon to end her life under that state’s assisted dying law has changed the conversation around assisted suicide.
Americans’ attitudes toward end-of-life decisions have been shifting over the past few decades and this week’s news marked just how far:
The California Medical Association changed its official position on physician-assisted suicide from opposed to neutral. The association board’s vote reflected changing attitudes among its physician members and views of their patients.
Is the CMA’s change of stance enough to move SB128, the End of Life Option Act, through the state Legislature?
There are still many concerns about physician-assisted death that go beyond moral values and medical ethics, including very real concerns about abuse. The political battle now has moved into the state Senate. How would you vote? Take our weekly poll.
(Here are the questions: Right now “No, the state should not approve suicide” is slightly winning.NV)
No, the state should not approve suicide
No, death is a natural process that should happen on its own.
Yes, SB128 gives terminally ill individuals a choice
Yes, and the California Medical Association no longer opposes it
[Lois Kazakoff, May 22, 2015, http://blog.sfgate.com/opinionshop/2015/05/22/take-the-weekly-poll-should-california-allow-doctor-assisted-suicide/ ]