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 Illinois, as of the current legal framework, there is no statute that allows for physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia. The state does not have a 'Death with Dignity' law like those in place in states such as California, Colorado, and Oregon, among others. Assisting someone in ending their life is generally considered a criminal act and could lead to charges such as murder or manslaughter. The topic of the right to die is complex and intersects with issues of ethics, religion, and personal beliefs. While some advocate for the right to end one's own life in the case of terminal illness and severe suffering, others oppose it on moral or religious grounds. In Illinois, those advocating for such rights would need to work towards changing the law through the legislative process, as the current legal position does not permit any form of assisted suicide.