IVETTE FELICIANO:

More than a decade after Belgium became the second country in the world to legalize euthanasia, it once again made headlines in early 2014 when it became the first country to lift any age restrictions associated with the procedure.

In the few American states with laws on the books allowing assisted suicide, only adults are permitted. In fact, just this month, the Connecticut Supreme Court ordered a 17-year-old girl with cancer to continue chemotherapy treatments against her will.

Yet in Belgium, under the new law, terminally ill children can request euthanasia if they are near death, and suffering "constant and unbearable physical" pain with no available treatment. Parents would have to consent as would with three separate doctors. So far there have been no cases of children in Belgium requesting euthanasia.

The controversial move came after years of public debate and widespread opposition by religious groups throughout Europe.