A New York state bill that would legalize medical assisted suicide is “a disaster waiting to happen” according to Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

The State Assembly advanced the Medical Aid in Dying Act in an 81–67 vote last week. If passed into law, the legislation will allow terminally ill adults to request medication to end their own lives.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Dolan — the archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York — said: “For people of faith who believe in the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, the very idea of having a doctor give you a prescription to end your life prematurely is contrary to everything we cherish.”

“But one need not be religious to see that assisted suicide is a terrible idea. It is a classic Pandora’s box; once opened, its consequences cannot be contained.”