In the current session of the Maryland General Assembly a bill is being introduced to allow two physicians to jointly prescribe a lethal dose of medication to patients who are terminally ill. The bill requires:

• 2 Physicians to agree the patient has 6 months or less to live.
  
• The patient is of “sound mind” and understands the decision they are making.
  
• The patient is physically able to self-administer the prescription.
  

This question is not only being discussed in Maryland, throughout our nation seriously terminally ill patients are making their request for medicine to end their suffering. As a Hospice Chaplain, I hear some patients express this desire to end their suffering on their terms.

I also relate to this sentiment because both of my parents had terminal illnesses and spent 10 years each in nursing homes. Both begged for release from their suffering for months before their illnesses reached the point of causing their natural death.

As a member of the clergy I am opposed to taking a human life because all life is sacred! I do understand why patients reach the end of their rope. I see where some people see providing the medication as an act of compassion. Currently under the law administering a lethal dose of medication is considered murder. Before we re-classify providing a lethal dose of medication from murder to being a legal medical treatment we need to consider the huge distance we are crossing in thought and action.

I do not claim to have a mandate directly from God on this topic, but it scares me because I see so many situations where this type of law could be misused and take lives prematurely. I also see the compassionate sentiment behind the proposed law. Our General Assembly should be careful on how they deal with this legislation, they may set off consequences that are unintended and irreversible!