California has just become the fifth state to introduce the ’Right to Die’ law. This will henceforth allow terminally-ill patients to end their own life under a doctor’s supervision. In putting this in action, California followed the states of Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Montana, which already have this law in place.
A movement in favour of this law gained popularity after the highly publicised case of Brittany Maynard, who moved to Oregon to legally end her life. Maynard sparked global interest and was the subject of a worldwide debate on Euthanasia.
Religious groups opposed the law saying that ’assisted suicide’ was against God’s will. Spokesmen for people with disabilities worried that anyone who was terminally-ill could be pressured into assisted suicide. However, the Governor who signed off the bill concluded his decision partly based on what he would do if he were in that situation, claiming that this law now allows an option to terminally-ill patients.
