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111 assisted suicides in California in first six months under new law

June 28, 2017

During the first six months since assisted suicide became legal in the state of California, 111 people ended their own lives using drugs prescribed by their doctors.

The 111 suicides were only a tiny fraction of roughly 10,000 deaths recorded in California over the same six-month period.

A profile of the suicides found that the majority were white males over the age of 60. A majority (59%) had been diagnosed with cancer.

Apparently some of the people who requested prescriptions for lethal drugs had second thoughts. The data showed that 191 prescriptions had been written, so 80 people had not taken the drugs at the time of the survey.

 


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  • Posted by: TheJournalist64 - Jun. 30, 2017 7:11 AM ET USA

    A 1% rise in mortality rate would get the attention of any statistician or actuary. These were 111 human lives snuffed out in legal murder. It is nowhere near the mortality rate for abortion, but it is a tragedy nonetheless.

  • Posted by: dover beachcomber - Jun. 29, 2017 9:20 PM ET USA

    Hey, bishops of my own state of California! How about organizing a statewide prayer campaign on behalf of all who are thus tempted toward suicide, that they would receive the grace to carry on, to trust that while they live God still needs their help in saving souls, and to unite their sufferings with those of Christ?