Index
Oregon Death with Dignity Act
Summary
Passed in 1997, Oregon was the first state in the nation to legalize physician-assisted suicide, establishing the legal blueprint that many other states have since followed.
Rights & Rules
- 01.You must be a mentally competent adult diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within 6 months.
- 02.You must make two verbal requests to your physician (separated by at least 15 days) and one written request.
- 03.The prescribing physician and a consulting physician must confirm the diagnosis and verify you are acting voluntarily.
- 04.In 2023, Oregon settled a lawsuit and agreed to stop enforcing the 'residency requirement,' meaning out-of-state residents can now travel to Oregon to use the law.
Penalties
- 01.Anyone who alters a request or coerces a patient into requesting the medication faces a Class A felony.
Verified Citations
Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 127.800 to 127.897
Source"An adult who is capable, is a resident of Oregon, and has been determined by the attending physician and consulting physician to be suffering from a terminal disease, and who has voluntarily expressed his or her wish to die, may make a written request for medication..."