Assisted suicides in California have surged by 63 percent after state lawmakers approved a law that shortened the waiting period for obtaining a prescription for lethal drugs from 15 days to just 48 hours.
According to the annual report released by the California Department of Health, 853 out of 1,270 people who received fatal prescriptions last year under the state's End of Life Option Act (ELOA) chose to end their lives with lethal drugs. This data is higher than the 863 prescriptions and 522 deaths recorded in 2021.
ELOA allows adults with terminal illnesses and less than six months to live to opt for assisted suicide. Based on the data from 2022, the majority of patients who chose assisted deaths were elderly, white and college-educated people suffering from cancer, heart disease and brain disease. These patients prefer a combination of sedatives, opioids and cardio tonics to increase their heart rate and then, die in their homes or at assisted living facilities.
Moreover, the increase in assisted suicides coincides with the implementation of SB 380 in January 2022. The law, which reduced the mandatory 15-day waiting period between two oral requests for aid-in-dying medication to 48 hours, came five years after California allowed doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients who wished to control their deaths. (Related: The end game of government health care is government-assisted SUICIDE.)
"It's no wonder that the number of assisted suicides soared in the year after the California legislature effectively removed the original 15-day cooling-off period. Most Medi-Cal patients cannot get a mental health consult in less than 72 hours and are not guaranteed palliative care, but now, they can get suicide drugs in 48 hours and the state will pay for it every time," said Matt Valliere, director of the Patients' Rights Action Fund.
ELOA sued over violation of Americans with Disabilities Act
Meanwhile, several campaign groups representing disabled persons have filed a lawsuit against ELOA for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and presenting an unconstitutional bias against disabled people.
The lawsuit claims that disabled people have faced discrimination and bias when seeking healthcare, particularly during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The complainants contend that ELOA provides assisted suicide as an option, which may tempt patients with insufficient medical care due to their disabilities.
Ingrid Tischer, one of the plaintiffs living with muscular dystrophy, shared her distressing experience of being denied proper medical treatment when she contracted pneumonia during the pandemic. "The law gets in your head. That's what happened to me," Tischer said, emphasizing the influence of ELOA on people's perceptions of their own worth.
Diane Coleman, a woman with neuromuscular disabilities and head of the national rights group Not Dead Yet, said assisted suicide is a symptom of a societal bias against disabled individuals. "Assisted suicide is just one of the many symptoms of an ableist eugenics society that believes life with a disability is a fate worse than death," Coleman stated.
Brianna Hammon, who lives with cerebral palsy, highlighted the demoralizing effect of assisted suicide laws on the disabled community. She and her mother, Deidre, expressed their frustration at the message these laws convey about the value of disabled lives.
The lawsuit has sparked a broader conversation about the implications of assisted suicide laws on disabled individuals' autonomy and dignity.
John B. Kelly, another advocate against assisted suicide, stressed the importance of valuing life regardless of disabilities. He argued that such laws stem from an ableist mindset that diminishes the worth of people who require assistance.
Anita Cameron recounted her mother's decision to reject medically-aided death and opt for a natural passing despite pressure from a doctor. Cameron now campaigns against assisted suicide laws, advocating for improved healthcare rather than eliminating patients.
Euthanasia.news has more stories about assisted suicide.
Watch the video below that talks about assisted suicide.
This video is from the CHP Canada channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Aussie scientist promotes ASSISTED SUICIDE in Scotland using DIY death pods.
OFFING THE POOR: Canadian man facing homelessness applies for medically assisted death.
Canada to become ASSISTED SUICIDE capital of the world.
Anti-life group lobbies for BC Canada Catholic hospitals to carry out ASSISTED SUICIDE.
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