With a bill soon to be introduced in the Colorado state legislature, The Denver Post editorial board has come out firmly in support of legalizing assisted dying for the state’s terminally ill citizens:

State Reps. Lois Court and Joann Ginal proposed the measure after  reading in The Denver Post of the plight of Charles Selsberg.

A Denver resident and retired real estate agent, Selsberg wrote of his last days in  dealing with a quickly advancing case of of ALS and how it left him on life support.

“I never thought I would be this person, really just this mind now, trapped in a dead body,” he wrote, with the assistance of his daughter Julie Selsberg.

He asked Colorado to “show its compassion” and consider adopting a law similar to the one Oregon passed in 1997. It allows terminally-ill patients to self-administer lethal medications prescribed by a doctor.

And we agree: Those facing situations like the one Charles Selsberg endured should have a reliable and peaceful way to end their lives if and when they want, surrounded by family and friends if that is their choice.