In recent months, talk of assisted suicide making its way to Michigan has spread. The Michigan Senate Health Policy Committee is awaiting a hearing any day now on a package of bills that would legalize physician-assisted suicide for those who have received a terminal prognosis.

If passed, Michigan would join 10 states and the District of Columbia, as well as several other countries that have legalized assisted suicide. One of the countries that is well-known for assisted suicide is the Netherlands.

The story of Zoraya ter Beek, a cautionary tale about a 28-year-old woman in the Netherlands, has recently surfaced in the news. Zoraya ter Beek is scheduled for euthanasia next month due to…mental illness. She suffers from depression, autism and borderline personality disorder. We must commit to help people who suffer, not end their lives.

While the package of bills that were introduced in the Michigan legislature wouldn’t immediately allow for physician-assisted suicide for the sole reason of mental illness, they open the door to abuse and pose an immediate threat here in Michigan.

To combat the threat of physical-assisted suicide, we ask that you please take action by contacting your state senator and telling them to vote NO on the “Death with Dignity Act” to protect the sick, the elderly, the mentally disabled and people of color.

To contact your State Senator go to: https://rtl.org/take-action/