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After being terminally ill for months or perhaps years, should you have the right to say, “I’ve had enough. It’s time to die?” Not only a tough question, it’s one that makes us uneasy.

Seven states—California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, Washington—and the District of Columbia permit what some call “death with dignity.” Except for Montana, the laws are similar: patients must be a resident of the state, capable of making and communicating health care decisions for themselves, at least 18 years old, and diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months. Patients must also make two oral requests, at least 15 days apart, and one written request.

Polar views are voiced by Peter Singer, philosopher and professor of bioethics at Princeton University, and Dr. Ilora Finlay, former president of the British Medical Association.

Singer believes, “There are circumstances in which the person who is considering death wants to die. That is their autonomous choice. So, death is not a violation of their autonomy, or contrary to their strongest wishes … there are cases in which a person has no more valuable life to look forward to—valuable by their judgment, not valuable by somebody’s else’s judgment.”

Finlay sees too much risk. “When you normalize physician-assisted suicide., the underlying social dynamic changes. Laws send a message. And the message they send is that if you’re terminally ill, ending your life is something that you probably ought to think about.”

Why is it we have concluded that months, and sometimes years, of chronic pain are not grounds to end one’s life?  The common response: only God has that right, yet we make exceptions to that rule. No one questions the right to take a life to defend his own or another’s. Capital punishment exists in 31 states. Even among those who oppose abortion, many believe abortion is morally acceptable when a mother’s life is at risk.

But taking one’s life to escape a prolonged and painful illness is another matter.

Sen. Charleta B. Tavares, D-Columbus, shares Singer’s perspective. In April, she introduced S.B. 249, which is modeled after Oregon’s law. Tavares acted in response to concerns expressed by constituents who are members of Death with Dignity, a non-profit that believes qualified terminally ill people should have the right to make their own end-of-life decisions.

Tavares sees a big distinction between suicide and S.B. 249, and she doesn’t like the bill being coined as “physician-assisted suicide.” She explains that when people commit suicide, “they are generally suffering from a disorder, are not terminally ill, and they make the decision to end their life spontaneously. They die alone and in the state of despair.”

Tavares lost a brother to suicide and is a strong advocate for suicide prevention programs. She doesn’t see any inconsistency with S.B. 249. People who will benefit from S.B. 249 “already know they are about to die,” says Tavares.

“They simply want the chance to stop their suffering and their family’s suffering. They want to control how they will depart. They are making a rational decision.”

A study by the Journal of the American Medical Association evidences that Oregon’s law is used somewhat minimally. During an 18-year period, 1545 prescriptions for lethal medications were written, and 991 patients died by using those prescriptions, meaning patients changed their minds. The median age for patients was 71. The large majority suffered from cancer.

Tavares and those who believe in death with dignity aren’t asking others to change their moral beliefs. They just want to provide an end-of-life option to those who want it. Shouldn’t they be able to say, “I’ve suffered long and hard. I’ve had enough. So has my family. I’d like the peace that death brings.”

Confronting death is scary. Perhaps morality gives us a veil to hide behind.

[This post was published in the Columbus Dispatch on August 8, 2018.]

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Jack D’Aurora writes for Considerthisbyjd.com

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Also published on Medium.