US States Expand Assisted Suicide

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, Canada, pictured left. 

In 2019 Oregon expanded their assisted suicide law by giving doctors the ability to waive the 15 day waiting period when a person was deemed near to death. In 2023 Oregon removed the residency requirement extending assisted suicide nationally to anyone.

In 2021 California expanded their assisted suicide law by reducing the waiting period from 15 days to 48 hours. It forced doctors who oppose assisted suicide to be complicit in the process (later struck down by the court), and it forced all medical institutions to post their policy on assisted suicide.

Assisted Suicide: Debate Deals with Abuse, Compassion

By Mike Youds

A right to medically assisted suicide may sound compassionate and just, but beware the details when it comes to the act itself, a U.S. lawyer warned Wednesday in a debate at TRU.

Margaret Dore (wearing brown suit) shared some of her experiences with assisted suicide in Washington State, where the practice became legal through a ballot measure four years ago.

“A lot of people think this is a great idea until they start thinking and reading about how you do it,” she told an audience of about 30 people in the Irving K. Barber Centre.

In effect, laws in Washington and Oregon empower people who may choose to abuse the responsibility, Dore said.

“Your heir can be there to help you sign up. Once the legal dose leaves the pharmacy, there is no oversight whatsoever.”