Assisted suicide has been a controversial topic that appeals to peoples emo-
tion and feelings. It is the intentional act of assisting another human being to com-
mit suicide at that person’s voluntary request. New Jersey has joined a small group
of states to pass a law that provides an option for a terminally ill patient the option
to end their own life. Governor Phil Murphy, who supports the bill, was conflicted
due to his religious beliefs.
The procedure requires the patient to administer the medication to them-
selves that will end their lives. In passing this law it achieves the goal to allow indi-
viduals to choose how they want to end their lives. The benefits of assisted suicide
is that it can end the pro-longed pain or suffering that some terminally ill patients
have to deal with. A disadvantage is that it is a permanent decision.
The group of people that are affected by these laws passing are those that
have an incurable disease that will result in death. The moral rights that this group
of people have is the right to choose for themselves. These rights are violated when
only a few states have laws that allow them to decide if assisted suicide is the op-
tion for them and their family.
The media has been supportive when reporting cases of assisted suicide by
being empathetic to the patient but also addressing the question of if it is morally
right or wrong. I believe that when reporting represents both sides of the discussion
and when facts are stated, it is fair but more than often the reporting is biased when
reporters include their own personal thoughts and beliefs. In an article about Brit-
tany Maynard, a young woman who moved to Oregon with her husband to obtain
drugs to assist her in dying, the research is presented in the same manner. Using
descriptive words like “dignity” and “peaceful” appears to be evidence that the re-
porting is biased in support of assisted suicide.
I personally do agree with the stance on supporting assisted suicide. The ap-
proach I used to come to this decision is The Rights Approach. In the states that le-
galize assisted suicide, there are a lot of requirements in place that must be passed
to qualify to have that as an option in order to protect the patient. One being, you
only have six months to live. In cases like this I believe that humans should have
the basic right to make that decision themselves. In a lot of cases this certain group
of people are in insufferable pain and to relieve that through assisted suicide, to me,
is the just option.
Guest, Star-Ledger. “My Newlywed Wife Ended Her Life on Her Terms. Brittany May-
nard Advocated for Aid-in-Dying Laws.” Nj.com, Nj.com, 22 Oct. 2018,
www.nj.com/opinion/
2018/10/my_newlywed_wife_ended_her_life_on_her_terms_she_a.html.
Philadelphia, FOX 29. “New Jersey 'Aid in Dying' Law for Terminally Ill Takes Effect
Thursday.” FOX 29 News Philadelphia, FOX 29 News Philadelphia, 29
July 2019, www.fox29.com/ news/new-jersey-aid-in-dying-law-for-
terminally-ill-takes-effect-thursday.
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