Final destinations

Euthanasia or assisted dying has been going on for 20 years in some parts of the world. We take a look at countries and jurisdictions that allow people to end their lives and, sometimes, take an active role in that choice:

United States:

Assisted dying is legal in five US states. Oregon enacted the Death with Dignity Act in 1997 and it has become the template for many of those who have followed. Mentally competent people who are 18 and over, terminally ill, with less than six months to live, can request lifeending medication, but they must take it themselves. The patient’s request must be approved by two doctors and could involve consultation with a psychiatrist. Even though it has been legal in Oregon for 20 years, there were just

132 deaths reported as physicianassisted suicides in 2015, 0.37% of the state’s total deaths. In Washington state, whose law is modelled on Oregon’s, the number was 166. To give that some perspective, constipation killed 2167 Americans between 1999 and 2014 and 951 died through ‘‘contact with a powered lawn mower’’.

The Dutch have long been considered trail-blazers in controversial social policy. It’s no different with euthanasia. They were the first country to legalise it, in 2002. The rules are strict: the person seeking to end their life must be suffering unbearable pain, have an incurable illness, and be fully conscious when making the final decision. In 2015, 5516 people took the option of a lethal cocktail administered under medical supervision.

Followed the Netherlands in 2002 and drafted possibly the most liberal legislation in the world. An average of 1400 people a year opt for euthanasia (there were

108,000 deaths in 2016). The great majority involve terminal illness and physical suffering, and it must be overseen by a physician. Also, every death is reviewed by a panel of experts to ensure the law is being followed. But doctors have been involved in assisting the deaths of people suffering chronic mental illness. In 2016 the country extended the law to include

Netherlands: Belgium: