Annie’s Mailbox: Death with Dignity laws are specific

Sat., Jan. 3, 2015

Marcy Sugar and Kathy Mitchell Creators Syndicate

Dear Annie: You printed a telephone number for people who are suicidal and need help. Fine. How about a contact number for people who wish to die with dignity? People who want to leave forever and who have good reason to do so? Oregon seems to be the place to go to get help, but how? – West Hills, Calif.

Dear West Hills: Three states – Oregon, Washington and Vermont – have Death with Dignity laws allowing mentally competent terminally-ill adults to request a prescription medication that will accelerate their deaths. There is no state program that will sign you up. You must do this through licensed physicians in those states.

This is absolutely NOT a solution for people who are depressed. In fact, if the doctor believes depression is behind your desire to die, you will be referred to a mental health professional. To be eligible for the Death with Dignity laws, you must be a resident of one of those states, 18 years of age or older, and diagnosed with a terminal illness that will cause your death within six months. You also must be capable of making and communicating health care decisions for yourself. Two licensed physicians are required to determine whether these criteria have been met.

You must provide the attending physician with proof of residency (e.g., a state driver’s license, state voter registration, recent state tax return, etc.). Each state has its own website: Compassion and Choices of Oregon (compassionandchoices.org), Compassion and Choices of Washington (compassionwa.org) and Vermont Ethics Network (vtethicsnetwork.org). For more information, contact Death with Dignity (deathwithdignity.org).

Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Emailquestions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

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