Category: Assisted Suicide

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The New Jersey assisted suicide act—“Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act”–was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy on April 12, 2019. It went into effect on August 1, 2019. An injunction was granted on August 14, but the injunction was rescinded on August 27. What …

Just How Slippery Is This Slope? By John Stonestreet with Roberto Rivera [Breakpoint.org]. Physician-assisted suicide is sold to the public as a “compassionate” measure, necessary to spare those with no reasonable chance of recovery the unbearable pain and suffering of the last days of their lives. In every context in which it has been made …

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The Hawaii assisted suicide law (“Our care, our choice act”) went into effect on January 1, 2019.  The 2019 Hawaii assisted suicide report, issued on July 1, indicates that in the first year of legalized assisted suicide:  30 people were prescribed lethal drugs,  15 people died by …

By Kandace Landreneau, Louisiana Right to Life College Director The Los Angeles Times recently published an opinion column arguing that physician assisted suicide should be legalized throughout the country and expanded to allow for patients with degenerative diseases, chronic pain and Alzheimer’s to utilize the deadly prescription. In my view, this article conjures more emotion …

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition An Italian court has acquitted assisted suicide activists Marco Cappato and Mina Welby in the assisted suicide death of Davide Trentini in the April 2017 which took place in the Dignitas assisted suicide clinic death in Switzerland. Cappato and Welby, who are leaders of the Luca Coscioni assisted suicide …

A disabled woman has challenged Shropshire MP Daniel Kawczynski to watch her “living” after he says he will be lobbying the Government to legalise assisted suicide. By SPUC—the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children Daniel Kawczynski, (Shrewsbury and Atcham) who previously opposed assisted suicide in alignment with his Catholic faith, has confirmed that he …

By Wesley J. Smith Assisted suicide is illegal in Pennsylvania. Now, after a depressed girl was apparently encouraged to kill herself in an Internet “pro choice” chat room, the state’s House has passed a bill increasing penalties in particular cases for such encouragement. From the Penn.Live story last September: Following a battle of depression, Shawn …

By Wesley J. Smith Over the years, I have repeatedly noted that the assisted-suicide movement is a “Marin County” movement — well-off, well-tailored white people who never have to worry about being denied quality care and believe themselves entitled to be made dead no matter who else might get hurt. Assisted-suicide statistics in California validate my criticism. People …

1,212  reported assisted suicide deaths since June 2016 By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The 2019 California annual assisted suicide report is similar to other U.S.  jurisdictions where the report implies that the assisted suicide deaths were voluntary and self-.administered. In truth, the information in the California End of Life Option report does not address …

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition On May 22, 2019, Jackie Bieber found her daughter Shawn Shatto on her bedroom floor unresponsive and cold. She attempted CPR but in vain.  Initially she did not think Shawn had died by suicide. What she would soon learn, however, was that her daughter, who had been …

By Alex Schadenberg, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The following letter to the editor was published by the Hampshire Gazette on June 23, 2020. For years, I assumed the progressive position on assisted suicide was clear. But when I became involved in activism regarding disability rights and justice several years after becoming disabled myself, I learned more about the …

By Alex Schadenberg, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition A contact sent me this article and wishes to remain anonymous. The Cracks and the Light  “There is a crack in everything; that is how the light gets in…” Leonard Cohen  This is not a story about miraculous healing or cure. This is a story about living with my …