John Carney: Massachusetts must pass death with dignity legislation

Published: 02-06-2023 9:27 PM

On Jan. 23, 76-year-old Ellen Gilland fatally shot her terminally ill husband while he lay in his hospital bed in Daytona Beach, Florida as part of a murder-suicide pact. Mrs. Gilland was arrested and charged with first degree murder. This tragic and violent act would not have been necessary if Florida had a Death With Dignity law in place. Spoiler alert: Massachusetts also lacks such a law.

Some states that do have existing legislation include Colorado, California, New Jersey, Oregon, Hawaii, Vermont and Washington, D.C., meaning that over 70 million people in this country have access to death with dignity. Vermont’s legislation came in 2013, at the time, one of only three states with such a law. The stringent application process prevents abuse requiring patients to submit both written and oral requests to be reviewed by two independent physicians who must agree that the patient is of sound mind, has a life ending illness with less than six months to live and is capable of self administering the prescription. Actual prescriptions may vary, but the powerful sedatives secobarbital and pentobarbital (nembutal) are commonly used. Once administered, the patient will slip into a coma in about five minutes and death will follow soon after. These drugs have been proven to induce a peaceful, swift and uneventful death.

Not all of us will be so fortunate as to “go gently into that good night” and many will face a prognosis of a terminal illness that cannot be reversed or cured by any surgery or medication. The only surety for these people is the promise of horrific end stage suffering often with total loss of autonomy. It’s time for Massachusetts to join the growing list of states to pass this vital legislation.

John Carney

South Deerfield

]]>

Yesterday's Most Read Articles