Last year, thousands of people opted for assisted death in countries where the practice is legal, according to a report from The Telegraph.
Data reported by the outlet suggests that in 2023, 30,000 people utilized euthanasia practices.
Dramatic increases in assisted death and euthanasia occurred in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as the states of California and Oregon. In Canada, one in 25 people are believed to have utilized the practice to end their lives.
The information comes as the United Kingdom will vote on a euthanasia bill on Friday. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill proposes that anyone who wishes to end their life must be over 18 years old and be expected to die within six months. The individual must make two declarations about their wish to die and receive confirmation from two independent doctors that they are eligible for assisted death.
Chief executive of Care Not Killing Dr. Gordon MacDonald said the rising figures indicate that “once you legalise assisted suicide or euthanasia, the numbers of those being killed and the reasons why, only ever go in one direction. Just look at Canada.”
“It’s not just Canada where we see problems. In the Netherlands and Belgium, we have seen a massive expansion of who can be euthanised. Chillingly, this includes non-mentally competent adults, people with mental health problems and even young children and disabled babies,” MacDonald said. “In Oregon, the model for the legislation which is being debated in the House of Commons, arthritis, diabetes and anorexia are all considered terminal conditions and people with them have successfully obtained the death row drugs from the state to kill themselves.”
As several countries overseas have implemented assisted death, Vermont became the first U.S. state to allow ill individuals from out of state to use its assisted suicide program.
“We are grateful to Vermont lawmakers for recognizing that a state border shouldn’t determine if you die peacefully or in agony,” Kim Callinan, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices, said in a statement. “Patients routinely travel to other states to utilize the best healthcare options. There is no rational reason they shouldn’t be able to travel to another state to access medical aid in dying if the state they live in doesn’t offer it.”
