On March 30, 1995, in his Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life), Pope John Paul II declared assisted suicide unethical. “Suicide is always as morally objectionable as murder,” he maintained. “‘Assisted suicide’ means to cooperate in and at times be the actual perpetrator of an injustice that can never be excused, even if it is requested.” The pope’s view is shared by many religious leaders, ethicists, and other people who feel that assisted suicide is unethical because it usurps what they consider to be God’s right to determine a person’s lifespan. Many also oppose assisted suicide because they believe it devalues life and sanctions killing.

However, others argue that assisted suicide is ethical because it respects a person’s choice to end a life that lacks physical, emotional, or spiritual meaning. A 1995 editorial...