Oregon’s first-in-the-nation Death with Dignity law turned 20 this month, establishing a substantial record of who dies and why.
As of last year, 1,173 Oregonians have qualified for lethal prescriptions, and 752 patients have used them to end their lives. The typical participant was white, well-educated, over 65 years old and suffering from terminal cancer.
The vast majority had health insurance and died at home.
