Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,
In light of this week’s annual March for Life in Washington D.C., I would like to inform you of pending legislation in the state of Maryland that would legalize physician-assisted suicide. As a church we must stand staunchly against this practice, which is already having devastating effects in countries such as Canada. Below is a summary of what we face and how we can stand against it.
What actually happens in a physician-assisted suicide?
A doctor prescribes a lethal drug cocktail – up to 100 pills – that a person picks up at the local pharmacy, grinds up into half a cup of water, and drinks in less than two minutes. Sometimes, the person can take hours or days to die. Plus, there are no requirements for a witness or notification of family. Assisted suicide isn’t dignified, it’s deadly. Tell your Maryland legislators: NO assisted suicide. Visit mdcatholic.org/pas
Physician-assisted suicide incentivizes denying cancer treatment
In states where assisted suicide is legal, insurance companies have turned down coverage for cancer treatment but offered to pay for suicide drugs instead. Stop this from happening in Maryland. Tell your state legislators: NO assisted suicide. Visit mdcatholic.org/pas
Physician-assisted suicide urges suicide for elderly
Elderly in Maryland have a higher rate of suicide than any other age group – double the teen suicide rate. Yet a proposed physicianassisted suicide bill would not require any mental health evaluation to screen for depression. Assisted suicide isn’t dignified, it’s deadly. Tell your state legislators: NO assisted suicide. Visit mdcatholic.org/pas
Physician-assisted suicide tells people they’re burdensome
In Oregon, data shows people request suicide drugs not for pain, but because they can’t do the same activities that they could before, can’t control bodily functions, feel they’ve lost dignity or feel they are a burden. Suicide drugs aren’t the answer. Everyone deserves loving, supportive care, affirmation of their dignity, and to know that they are never a burden. Tell your state legislators: NO assisted suicide. Visit mdcatholic.org/pas
Physician-assisted suicide is dangerous for Maryland
If assisted suicide became legal, up to 100 pills would be prescribed to a person. These lethal drugs would then be dispensed at your neighborhood pharmacy. Data shows that where assisted suicide is legal, up to 40% of the drugs are never used – and there are no requirements for their disposal. They could end up in the hands of kids, in the trash or in a local creek or pond. We don’t need that in Maryland. Assisted suicide isn’t dignified, it’s deadly. Tell your legislators: NO assisted suicide. Visit mdcatholic.org/pas
Doctors oppose physician-assisted suicide
The American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, and dozens of other medical groups oppose physicianassisted suicide. The AMA says, “Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer.” Physicians are entrusted with saving lives, not ending them. Tell your legislators: NO assisted suicide. Visit mdcatholic.org/pas
Thank you for taking the time to inform yourself and to act by reaching out to our legislators to vote against physician-assisted suicide.
In Christ,
Fr. Dave
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