Some Say Tourism Is Dying As Vermont Legalizes Assisted Suicide For Non-Residents

On Tuesday, Vermont made the mind-boggling decision to allow citizens from other states to come to Vermont and receive assisted suicide in what’s been dubbed ‘suicide tourism.’

Governor Phil Scott (R-VT) signed into law a bill that removes the previous residency requirement in Act 39, which now allows for out-of-state visitors to be prescribed assisted suicide, per AP News. 

Oregon had a similar change to its law last year when the state agreed, via a court ruling, to stop enforcing the residency requirement of its assisted suicide for terminally ill patients law, per AP News. Oregon also asked for the state legislature to remove the stipulation from the law to be in line with the court decision. 

Vermont was already straddling with the decision to remove the stipulation, as the state had settled with a Connecticut woman who had terminal cancer by allowing her to receive assisted suicide so long as she complies with the other parts of the law. 

Kim Challinan, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices, which is a nonprofit advocacy group, said in a statement, “We are grateful to Vermont for recognizing that a state border shouldn’t determine if you die peacefully or in agony. Patients routinely travel to other states to utilize the best healthcare options. There is no rational reason they shouldn’t be able to travel to another state to access medical aid in dying if the state they live in doesn’t offer it.”
Vermont is one of only 10 states in the Union that permits medically assisted suicide, and one of only two states where you can travel from outside the locality to receive assisted suicide. 

Of course, the decision has garnered much criticism, with dissenters calling it ‘suicide tourism’ and a ‘suicide free-for-all.’ 

Mary Hahn Beerworth, executive director of the Vermont Right to Life Committee, testified before a legislative committee in March against the changes to the bill. 

Beerworth said, “To be clear, Vermont Right to Life opposed the underlying concept behind assisted suicide and opposes the move to remove the residency requirement as there are still no safeguards that protect vulnerable patients from coercion.”

We’ve seen the very reality Beerworth feared taking place in Canada, where many poor Canadians have been urged towards assisted suicide by healthcare professionals due to their lack of social care infrastructure, per The Spectator. 

This change can only be seen as dangerous, as now anyone on either side of America can have easier access to assisted suicide. As we’ve seen with the ease of access to transgender surgery, it doesn’t take much to convince a medical professional to perform something against the patient's overall best interest. We can only hope in time that these laws are rolled-back or restricted.