New York Legalizes Assisted Suicide as ‘Medical Aid in Dying’ Law Takes Effect This Week

New York will become the latest state to allow doctors to prescribe lethal medication to patients when its Medical Aid in Dying Act takes effect on Wednesday, allowing eligible adults to request and administer drugs to assist them in committing suicide.

Governor Kathy Hochul signed the legislation into law on February 6, following years of debate, making New York the 14th U.S. jurisdiction to permit the practice.

Under the statute, a mentally capable adult resident of New York who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness expected to result in death within six months may obtain a prescription for life-ending medication after meeting a series of procedural requirements.

To quali...