On April 2, the Massachusetts legislature heard testimony on a bill giving suffering people in the last six months of their lives the legal option of self-administered, doctor-prescribed medicine for a more gentle passing. The fight for this right has been going on for more than a decade on Beacon Hill. It’s well past time to enable a medically assisted path to a more peaceful death under clearly articulated guidelines.

Stories abound about dying seniors, pummeled physically and emotionally, who have chosen to refuse food and drink until their body shuts down, essentially starving themselves to a gruesome death rather than having to endure months more of excruciating pain and little to no quality of life. Others with dire prognoses have secreted away pills to self-administer upon reaching the end point, only to have deteriorated to the point when they are unable to follow through on their expressed intentions.

Since first introduced here, ten states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to pass just such humane measures. Oregon has had such a law for 28 years. Our state legislature has never even sent the matter to the floor for a vote. Last year, one hundred of the state’s legislators co-sponsored it, and many others privately indicated support. It’s time to make Massachusetts the 11th state.

The public has made clear it wants the option of a less tortured death.  Three quarters of the population or more favor it. While the strongest opposition comes from the Church, according to Beacon Research, two thirds of Catholics and 71 percent of Protestants support this approach to end-of-life care.

Those who do not favor having control over their end-of-life health decisions don’t have to exercise the option. For adults who rightly insist such compassionate choice is their right, there are clear-cut guidelines to prevent abuses. Recently, Governor Maura Healey said she would support a bill with proper guidelines to prevent abuses.  Check out these guidelines I have detailed in a recent blog. For a patient to exercise that end-of-life care option would require approvals by multiple professionals, including medical doctors and mental health practitioners, and the whole process has a carefully designed paper trail.

This is about death with dignity. It’s about exercising the same choice about our end-stage medical treatment that we have depended upon throughout our adult lives. We should be able to ask a physician for a prescription to take ourselves when we can go no further. Nearly a quarter of Americans live in states where this road to death with dignity is available. Enlightened Massachusetts, usually a leader in such matters, should provide no less.

It’s essential to reach out to state representatives (House, No. 2505) and senators (Senate, No. 1486) and keep the pressure up. The End-of-Life Coalition is organizing a legislative lobbying day on June 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting at 10:30 a.m. in Nurses Hall at the State House, second floor.

There’s a lot that we may not be able to change in today’s national political environment, but we do have the power to influence passing of this statewide measure to provide compassionate care at the end of life for dying patients. It’s little enough to ask.

I welcome your feedback in the comments section. Click upper left to return to the home page then hit “Leave a Comment.” Book recommendations welcome. To be alerted when a new blog is posted,  look for “Follow’ in the upper right portion of the home page, enter your email and click on subscribe..