Many people have strong beliefs about whether a person should have the right to die when they choose—to end a person’s own perceived pain and suffering, especially when they are terminally ill. These beliefs are often rooted in religion, morals, ethics, law (government-made and natural), and spirituality. Depending on a person’s beliefs or point of view, the issue and related laws may also be referred to as death with dignity, assisted suicide, aid in dying, physician assisted suicide, euthanasia, end of life options, and patient choice and control at the end of life.

Currently eight states and the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) have laws (statutes) that permit persons to choose when to end their lives under certain circumstances. These states include (1) California, (2) Colorado, (3) Hawaii, (4) Maine, (5) New Jersey, (6) Oregon, (7) Vermont, and (8) Washington. And although the state of Montana does not have such a statute its supreme court has ruled that nothing in the state’s law prohibits a physician from honoring a terminally ill but mentally competent patient’s request to prescribe medication to expedite the patient’s death. In states without such laws a physician or other person’s act of assisting a person with suicide is generally subject to criminal prosecution for murder or other criminal charges.

In Georgia, the right to die or assisted suicide is not legally recognized. The state does not have statutes that allow for death with dignity or physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Assisting someone in ending their life is considered a criminal act and can lead to charges such as murder or manslaughter. Georgia's laws reflect a position that upholds the preservation of life and does not permit any form of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. Individuals, including physicians, who participate in such acts may face severe legal consequences. It is important for residents of Georgia to be aware that the state's legal stance on this issue is different from the eight states and the District of Columbia where certain forms of assisted suicide are legal under specific circumstances.