Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of

unchanging truth. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

Doctor assisted suicide, something that's commonly referred to today as medical assistance and dying, at least

since Canada named it that, is legal in 10 of the United States, plus Washington, D.C.

The state of West Virginia, however, is trying something new.

Voters there this November can ensure that the deadly practice never infiltrates its

health care system.

A first of its kind amendment to the state constitution is on the ballot and it

would outlaw medically assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Here's how the proposed amendment reads, quote, no person physician or health care provider in the state of West Virginia, shall participate in the practice of medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of a person.

Nothing in this section prohibits the administration or

prescription of medication for the purpose of alleviating pain or discomfort while the

patient's condition follows its natural course. Nor does anything in this section prohibit the withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining treatment

as requested by the patient or the patient's decision-maker in accordance with state law.

Further, nothing in this section prevents the state from providing capital punishment, end quote.

Though proponents recognize that medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, and mercy killing of a person

are already implicitly illegal under West Virginia's current state law, Amendment 1 would protect

West Virginia's against all legal and judicial attempts to change that.

And if it passes, West Virginia would become the first state in our nation to protect life from

assisted suicide, euthanasia, and the medical assistance in dying, or made in this way.

The move comes in the wake of how the horrific practice has been implemented in Canada.

Since legalized in 2016, what's known as Maid, has become the fifth leading cause of death in that country.

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