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 Hawaii, the 'Our Care, Our Choice Act' allows terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live to request and obtain a prescription for medication to end their lives. The law requires that the individual must be mentally competent, able to make an informed decision, and able to self-administer the medication. Two separate requests, including one written request witnessed by two individuals, one of whom must not be a relative, beneficiary, or associated with the health care facility where the individual is receiving treatment, are necessary. Additionally, two separate physicians must confirm the patient's diagnosis, prognosis, and competence. The law includes several safeguards to ensure that the decision is voluntary and informed. It is important to note that while this law provides the option for assisted death under specific circumstances, assisting a suicide outside these parameters remains illegal and subject to criminal prosecution in Hawaii.