Salem, Oregon
Governor relaxes assisted suicide safeguard
Oregon, the first state to introduce assisted suicide, has loosened the rules around receiving lethal drugs. Governor Kate Brown (pictured left) signed into law last week a new exemption for terminally ill patients who are believed to be close to the end of life. Under previous legislation, all patients would have to wait 15 days between a first request for assisted suicide and a second. Now, if doctors sign a form saying the patient has less than 15 days to live, they may receive the drugs immediately.
