08/04/2026
A New York law allowing some sick patients to end their lives by taking lethal medication goes into effect Wednesday after a yearslong push from advocates.
Oregon was first to legalize medical aid in dying in 1997, and Washington and Montana followed suit in 2009. For the most part, patients who want to pursue the option must be residents of a state where it’s been legalized, though Oregon and Vermont allow it for nonresidents.
Public support for medical aid in dying has grown in the U.S., though many people still oppose it, either for religious reasons or because they believe such laws can lead sick patients to end their lives before pursuing all available treatments.
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