Should We Legalize Assisted Suicide?
About this episode
The episode features a debate on the complexities of physician-assisted suicide and its implications in New York.
One of the most complex medical, ethical, moral, and religious questions of our era is that of physician-assisted suicide—also known as Medical Aid in Dying, or MAID. Eleven U.S. states and Washington, D.C. have legalized some form of MAID for terminally ill patients. And New York might join them. Over the summer, a Medical Aid in Dying Act passed New York’s state legislature. It is now sitting on Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk as she decides whether to sign it into law. Under the proposed New York bill, terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live would be able to access a prescribed, self-administered life-ending medication. Supporters argue that this is a compassionate option—one that can relieve people of immense pain and suffering, allowing patients to choose when and where they die, and to do so surrounded by loved ones. Opponents see this as a violation of physicians’ fundamental oath to do no harm. They also worry that while access may begin narrowly, it could expand over time to include people seeking death for reasons other than terminal illness—such as mental suffering or simply a desire to stop living. Cases like this have already occurred in…
More episodes of Honestly with Bari Weiss
- We’re All Living in Casey Neistat’s World
- A Note from Bari on Honestly
- What to Expect in 2026 with Niall Ferguson, John McWhorter, Dr. Mark Hyman, Leandra Medine Cohen, Suzy Weiss, and Sarah Isgur
- The Birth of Christianity
- CBS News Presents: A Town Hall with Erika Kirk
- Is Designing Babies Unethical—or a Moral Imperative?
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Honestly with Bari Weiss podcast page.