Oregon : what's the catch?

[Luke]

Oregon was the first US state to legalise assisted suicide in 1997 for terminally ill patients, who can request a lethal prescription. Since then Washington and Vermont have followed suit, while courts in Montana and New Mexico ruled in favour of assisted suicide

Source :
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...rp-increase-in-people-choosing-euthanasia-du/

What's the reason people in the US can't just go there to end it?

 

[OfficerK]

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PROVI...CH/DEATHWITHDIGNITYACT/Pages/faqs.aspx#whocan

TLDR: You must have a terminal illness that will kill you within six months.

 

[Luke]

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PROVI...CH/DEATHWITHDIGNITYACT/Pages/faqs.aspx#whocan

TLDR: You must have a terminal illness that will kill you within six months.

Oh thank you.

 

[thetwilightzone]

Is that a law or just a guideline that doctors follow?

Someone should bring that up in court. Why do you have to have a terminal illness? That ironically legitimizes people who don't take mental illness seriously. It should be allowed for severe but non-terminal mental illnesses as well as physical illnesses.

 

[OfficerK]

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/Provi...onResearch/DeathwithDignityAct/Pages/ors.aspx

It's in the act. See definition of "terminal disease" and "Who may initiate a written request for medication".

 

[thetwilightzone]

So if doctors grant death for someone who isn't terminally ill, what can happen?

 

[OfficerK]

To my understanding they would be breaking the law. Almost definitely loss of medical license, maybe (probably?) legal sanctions.