The Death with Dignity Act was approved by voter referendum in November last year. The law will allow doctors to prescribe lethal oral doses of medications to patients without any hope for living. Washington is the second state in the US to adopt such a law, following Oregon, which passed its version 14 years ago. Since then, more than 340 people, mostly ailing with cancer, have opted to end their lives using the state’s measures.

Supporters of the law say it allows for “aided dying” rather than assisted suicide or euthanasia.

 

“Aided dying is neither euthanasia nor suicide. It’s not euthanasia because euthanasia implies action by a physician to end a patient’s life. It’s not suicide because people who choose aid in dying are not choosing to end their lives. They don’t want to die – they’re choosing to end suffering that cannot be relieved and suffering that they are experiencing that is worse than death,” said Terry Barnett, president of the board of Compassion and Choices of Washington State, the Group that led the effort to pass the ballot initiative.

 

Under the Washington law, the patient would have to be at least 18 years old, declared competent and a state resident. Furthermore, the patient would have to make two oral requests, 15 days apart, and submit a written request witnessed by two people, one of which must not be a relative, heir, attending doctor, or connected with a health facility where the requester lives. Also, two doctors must certify that the patient has a terminal condition and six months or less to live.