Last year, Delaware legislators narrowly passed a bill that would have legalized the dangerous and discriminatory policy of assisted suicide. Thankfully, Governor Carney vetoed that legislation, but HB 140 is back once again. With new legislative members and a new Governor, it is more important than ever to have your voice heard. Please take a few moments to send a message today to your State Senator and State Representative asking them to oppose HB 140. It is vital that they hear from you!

The dangerous policy of assisted suicide puts our most vulnerable neighbors at significant risk. Suicide is not medical care, and Delawareans deserve better access to quality care, such as in-home hospice and palliative care, not an ill-conceived public policy that puts patients at risk of mistakes, coercion, and abuse.

Here are some of the reasons why they must oppose assisted suicide:

1. Patients have been denied coverage for lifesaving treatment and offered assisted suicide instead.

2. Young women with anorexia have been given lethal drugs by their doctor under this same policy in Colorado and Oregon. 

3. Pain and suffering, or even concern about it, never make it into the top 5 reasons why patients die by assisted suicide in Oregon.  Rather, the most commonly cited reasons are disability related concerns, which is why the National Council on Disability rejects assisted suicide.

4. Mental conditions are ignored and depressed patients receive the lethal medications. 

5. Doctors make mistakes and patients who are not dying receive the prescription drugs. 

 Assisted suicide laws abandon vulnerable patients and they impact everyone’s end of life care. Delaware legislators would be making a grave mistake to pursue HB 140. 

Please fill out the form and urge your legislator to reject HB140 today.