Lawmakers in the District of Columbia have approved a bill that allows terminally ill patients to end their lives with the help of a doctor.
The D.C. Council overwhelmingly passed the measure that allows patients with six months or less to live to request lethal drugs from their doctors.
The bill was met with opposition, particularly from the district's African-American residents. Opponents expressed concern that poor people and the elderly would be pushed to end their lives prematurely rather than undergo costly treatment.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowers has pledged not to veto the legislation.
The District would join Oregon, Colorado, Vermont, Washington, Montana and California which already have similar measures.
The controversial "death with dignity" battle was thrown back into the public eye in 2014 when 29-year-old Brittney Maynard made the move from California to Oregon in order to end her life.
Maynard had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Opponents of assisted suicide pleaded with Maynard to rethink her decision. She has since become the face of the controversial measure.
Opponents of assisted suicide say it opens the floodgates to larger ethical issues. They also say it stands opposed to a doctor's objective to "do no harm."
Did you know?
God is everywhere—even in the news. That’s why we view every news story through the lens of faith. We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. But it takes a lot of hard work, time, and money to do what we do. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1.
Support CBN News
