California’s Right-To-Die law signed after Governor Brown weigh in

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the “End of Life Option Act,” into law yesterday making California the fifth state allowing assisted-suicide procedures for terminally ill patients.

Gov. Brown wrote a personal note after signing the bill saying, “I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain.  I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill.  And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.”

In response to the bill’s signing, the group, Californians Against Assisted Suicide, released a statement criticizing the governor’s personal decision saying that his wealth and access to high quality care is different from many Californians living in healthcare poverty.  Opponents are also worried that assisted suicide will become an overused alternative to long-term care.

Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, Professor of the Practice of Public Policy Communication at USC’s Price school, says that both sides indicated that if they lost, they would fight to reverse the decision.

"I’m not sure there’s enough time to get in place on the November 2016 ballot," says Jeffe.  Still, Californians Against Assisted Suicide says it is currently reviewing its best options moving forward.

Christal Smith, of Compassion and Choices, a long-time proponent of this act, says, "We have a similar version of this law in Oregon that has been active for decades and there hasn’t been a single case of abuse."

She also mentions that there are safeguards in the California law that prevent misuse, including a dianosis of fewer than six months to live and the ability for the patient to be able to take the medication themselves.

"This is a victory for every terminally ill Californian, says Smith"  From here, Compassion and Choices plans to lobby doctors and pharmacies with education initiatives.  California joins Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont with this law in place.

The movement in California gained steam when Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman with brain cancer, moved to Oregon last year in order to end her life through that state’s assisted-suicide law.