( CNN ) -- I strongly support Brittany Maynard 's impassioned efforts to expand everyone 's access to physician-assisted suicide . It is tragic that she died so young , but her life has made an important contribution to us all . I am an adamant opponent of physicians ever becoming agents of death . The lessons of the Holocaust , which began with a euthanasia program , are that once medical professionals become accustomed to administering death , we have created a frightening corps of people whose very `` medical '' prestige facilitates mass killing of the vulnerable . Hence I oppose physician involvement in capital punishment ( via lethal injection ) and all forms of euthanasia in which physicians are actively involved . But physicians are not actively involved in physician-assisted suicide . In jurisdictions where physician-assisted suicide is permitted and where proper safeguards are in place to prevent depressed or otherwise ineligible people from access to lethal drugs , physicians play a standard medical role of ascertaining applicants ' eligibility for the appropriate medications . Then the physicians get out of the way . It may seem strange to say this , but the reason that you and I as free individuals can not access life-ending drugs is because governments have imposed rules that require prescription approval by physicians for such drugs . Hence , it is governments , and doctors acting on their behalf , who normally -- and wisely -- block our access to dangerous medications . Maynard 's mourners grieve on social media . Where physician-assisted suicide is allowed , physicians withdraw from this role -- they stop blocking our free access to the drugs we need to end our life . They are not administering death by writing a prescription . Just the opposite , they get out of our way as free people and allow us to do what we want to do . Physicians cease their active blocking role and literally do nothing . We are the ones who act to end our lives . I feel this is appropriate . In addition , I believe that people who are facing the end of life -- terminally ill patients such as Maynard -- and those suffering grievous and irreversible pain should be free to end their life . This is a simple expression of respect for human freedom , autonomy and dignity , and it is also an expression of compassion to allow them to do it . Experience with physician-assisted suicide has shown that many people who go through the process of applying for it do not finally avail themselves of the right to do so . This tells us that physician-assisted suicide plays an important role in providing comfort and assurance that one will not be forced to suffer beyond what one can bear . There are many who , on religious or other grounds , oppose suicide in any form . I respect their beliefs , and I would defend their right to refuse to end their lives by their own hand . But mutual respect here also requires that we allow others who believe differently to end their lives in the way they see fit , as Brittany Maynard has now courageously done .
Brittany Maynard , 29 , who had cancer , ended her life under Oregon 's Death With Dignity Act . Ronald Green supports efforts to expand access to physician-assisted suicide . He says it 's an expression of respect for human freedom , autonomy and dignity . Green : Why not allow people who believe differently to end their lives in way they see fit ?