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 Maryland, as of the current legal framework, there is no statute that allows for physician-assisted suicide or death with dignity for terminally ill patients. The state does not have a law similar to those in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, or the District of Columbia, which permit medically assisted death under certain conditions. Consequently, any form of assisted suicide is likely to be subject to criminal prosecution under Maryland's existing laws. Individuals, including physicians, who participate in assisting another person to end their life could potentially face charges such as murder or manslaughter. It is important for residents of Maryland to be aware that while the topic of the right to die is complex and involves ethical, moral, and spiritual considerations, the state's legal stance does not currently recognize the legality of choosing to end one's life with the aid of a physician or any other party.