Jersey Island Approves Assisted Dying Law for Terminally Ill Adults
Jersey Island's New Legislation
Jersey Island has enacted a law granting terminally ill adults the option to choose to end their lives. Following votes in Jersey and Cardiff, five parliaments across the British Isles have now addressed this contentious topic. Assisted dying is a strictly regulated process that enables terminally ill individuals who are mentally competent and have a limited life expectancy to seek medical help in ending their lives. This process involves a physician providing medication that the patient can self-administer to ensure a peaceful death, often to alleviate unbearable suffering.
The legislation, pending formal approval from King Charles III, permits terminally ill residents who have resided in Jersey for over a year and are projected to live less than six months, or less than 12 months with a neurodegenerative condition, to choose to end their lives. The States Assembly of Jersey passed the Assisted Dying Law with a vote of 32 to 16 after three days of discussions. Jersey, an island with approximately 100,000 residents located in the English Channel near France, becomes the second British Crown territory to legalize assisted dying.
Details of the Bill
What is the Bill all about?
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was approved by the House of Commons in London in June of the previous year. However, it has faced delays due to over 1,000 amendments in the House of Lords, which supporters argue is a tactic to stall progress. Some members of the House of Lords contend that they are providing essential scrutiny to enhance the controversial bill. Recently, Welsh lawmakers approved the bill for the UK Parliament, while Scottish lawmakers are set to vote in March.
Current Legal Framework
What is the current law on assisted dying?
A briefing from the House of Lords outlines the legal status of assisted dying: it remains illegal in England and Wales under section two of the Suicide Act 1961, which states that anyone assisting in a suicide or attempted suicide could face up to 14 years in prison. However, the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 introduced guidelines that suggest exemptions from prosecution if the individual had made a voluntary, clear, settled, and informed decision to commit suicide, and the assistant was motivated solely by compassion.
Global Perspective on Assisted Dying
Which countries have legalized assisted dying?
Assisted dying is legally recognized and regulated in ten jurisdictions across the United States, including Washington, D.C., and states like California, Colorado, and Oregon. In 2017, similar laws were enacted in Victoria, Australia. Switzerland also permits assisted suicide, while voluntary euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. According to the BMJ, Canada has legalized both voluntary euthanasia and assisted dying for individuals whose death is 'reasonably foreseeable', referred to as 'medical assistance in dying'.