In 2023, one hundred and one individuals in New Jersey sadly took lethal drugs prescribed by a physician to end their lives through the state’s assisted suicide law according to a  2023 state report.  This translates to a 10% increase from the previous year’s report which revealed a total of 91 deaths.

According to the 2023 report, patients were between 37 and 100 years of age, with 19 individuals ranging in age from 35-64 years of age. 57% were female, and 43% were male.  95% were white and 80% were 65 and older.

Malignancy was the leading underlying illness reported by 61% of the cases.   The total number of individuals who died since the New Jersey assisted suicide went into effect in 2019 is now up to 287.

However, a 10% increase is not enough for advocates of  assisted suicide who are committed to seeing the death count increase even more. They are not happy with the report.  The most prominent of these assisted suicide advocates is a well-funded lobbying organization who, under the misnomer of “Compassion and Choices,” is the biggest peddler of assisted suicide in the U.S. They are now behind efforts to expand New Jerseys law to allow residents from out of state to come to our state for assisted suicide.

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The organization boasts more than $38 million in total assets in their 2023 Annual Report.  Their report also includes a 4-page list of “donors who have created a planned legacy gift.”  Simply put, they need more deaths to justify their existence to keep the cash flowing into their coffers.

They are also pushing for a New Jersey Assembly bill to have the 15-day waiting period eliminated.  Currently, patients who consider utilizing the assisted suicide law in New Jersey must ask their doctor for the lethal drugs twice over the course of 15 days and then submit a request in writing.

Like a handful of other states that have legalized assisted suicide, New Jersey’s law is supposed to have “safeguards,” but it is actually riddled with loopholes that have put patients, especially the disabled, at risk for abuse and coercion by health insurers, health care providers, relatives and caregivers.

It’s telling that Oregon and Vermont have already removed their residency requirements.  Undoubtedly, the number of individuals dying by assisted suicide will increase even more if New Jersey also goes down this ill-fated path.  Although there is no indication presently that New Jersey lawmakers want to remove the residency requirement, a lawsuit filed by 4 plaintiffs orchestrated by Compassion and Choices is pending in New Jersey to challenge this requirement.

Advances in medicine to cure illnesses, extend lives and alleviate pain are made every day. It is not inconsequential then to note that 287 New Jerseyans were given lethal drugs by “physicians” over the last 5 years to hasten their deaths when medication that could alleviate pain and other physical suffering and potentially save and sustain their lives was readily available.

This should give us all pause as we navigate a health care system that is constantly looking to cut costs and ration care.

LifeNews.com Note: Marie Tasy is the executive director of New Jersey Right to Life.