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Memoir of Derek Humphry just published

Jun 9th, 2017 by

BOOK REVIEW in the Final Exit Network’s newsletter, May 2017

Good Life, Good Death (Carrel Books, New York)
by Derek Humphry

Review by Huck DeVenzio

When I saw this book I wanted to like it so I could write a favorable review. After all, it was by and about a most influential figure in the right-to-die movement.
Happily, I like the book quite a bit, but not for the reasons I expected.
This new book is Derek Humphry s memoir of his
life. I thought I would like it for its information on the start and evolution of death with dignity. That history is covered and is interesting, but I enjoyed even more
the stories Humphry relates: the spelling of his name, his nomadic and nearly parent-less childhood, ducking German buzz bombs in World War II England, launching his career as a journalist, marital bliss and marital tragedy, and the story assignments for his
newspapers.
He has led a fascinating life -the kind
of life that inspires advice like ?You should write a book and he tells his tales in an engaging manner without hyperbole.
I can judge how much I like a book by how hard I
try to squeeze reading chapters between other activities. Do I turn off TV early so I can read longer in bed before falling asleep? I skipped television several times before finishing Good Life, Good Death.

www.finalexit.org/ergo-store

Preview the book on YouTube at
.

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Posted in Books, Derek Humphry, Final Exit, Final Exit Network, Hemlock, People in the News, physician-assisted suicide, Politics/Law, RTD News, RTD Organizations, Self-Deliverance, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Physician-assisted dying makes huge progress

May 28th, 2017 by

SOCIAL CHANGE TAKES TIME
It is a remarkable and encouraging statement of the real progress that the world right-to-die movement has made that today’s Sunday New York Times front page lead story is about doctor-assisted suicide, or doctor-assisted dying, whichever you like to call it.
This article concerns Canada where, as with the arrival of the Hemlock Society USA, the choice movement began in l980 when the subject was almost unmentionable in North America. There are now six states in the USA with doctor-assisted dying laws.
An interesting difference is that Canadian doctors (as in the Netherlands) can offer the patient choice of death by injection or orally. The US laws allow only drinking the lethal substance.
– Derek Humphry, Oregon

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Posted in Assisted dying, Assisted Suicide, Derek Humphry, Dignitas, Dutch euthanasia, Euthanasia, Final Exit, Hemlock, physician-assisted suicide, Politics/Law, right to die, RTD News | No Comments »

New memoir from Derek Humphry

May 13th, 2017 by

New book 'Good Life, Good Death'Good Life, Good Death
The story of my varied life as a journalist in the UK and USA, founder of the Hemlock Society USA, and pioneer of choice in dying laws in America. A quality hardback book, clear typeface. Get it from my website and it’s autographed and — if you request it — inscribed to you. If you’re not in America, order it from your country’s Amazon Book store. Good Life, Good Death — memoir.

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New York trying again for right-to-die law

May 12th, 2017 by

Legislation that would authorize people with terminal illnesses to request life-ending drugs from physicians is again before state lawmakers in the state of New York, though top lawmakers are either skeptical about its chances or firmly opposed.

Undeterred, several supporters gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday,
hoping stories of loved ones lost to painful illness might convince
lawmakers to add New York to the list of five states that already allow
physician-assisted suicide.

The bill before the Assembly and the Senate would allow terminally ill
people to request life-ending drugs from physicians. Two doctors would
have to certify that a patient is competent to make the decision and is
suffering from a terminal illness, and physicians could refuse to
participate for any reason. Two witnesses would be required to be
present when a patient completes a written request.

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Posted in Assisted dying, Assisted Suicide, Death With Dignity Act, Derek Humphry, Dignitas, Euthanasia, Final Exit, physician-assisted suicide, right to die | No Comments »

Right-to-die library for sale

Apr 29th, 2017 by

Medical Aid in Dying Library
I am liquidating my entire collection of books on medical aid in dying. There are over 300 titles, most hardcopy, and all are in good to excellent condition. Many are now out of print and are not available digitally.

I have not set a price and will consider a “best offer,” or would consider donating to a library or research organization in consideration of a charitable receipt for tax purposes. For a complete list of titles please send me an email with the word “books” in the subject line.

Roland Halpern -email rolandhalpern@msn.com

Derek Humphry adds: I know Roland to be a long-time worker in our field, thus would expect his library to worthwhile.

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Posted in Assisted dying, Assisted Suicide, Books, Final Exit, Publications/InternetMedia, right to die, RTD News | No Comments »

Some books which have changed public opinion

Apr 24th, 2017 by

Books that started significant movements
or new awareness in the 20th century:

The well of loneliness, by Radcliffe Hall, 1928
(Lesbianism)
Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson 1962
(Pollution)
Unsafe at any speed, by Ralph Nader 1965
(vehicular safety)
Situation Ethics: The New Morality, by Joseph Fletcher 1966
(Moral responsibility)
And the band played on, by Randy Shilts 1987
(AIDS)
Final Exit, by Derek Humphry 1991
(euthanasia)

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10 percent increase in Dutch medical assisted suicides

Apr 14th, 2017 by

Physician-assisted suicides up in the Netherlands

Cases of euthanasia are reportedly on the rise in the Netherlands. A
total 6,091 cases were registered last year ? a 10% rise compared to 2015.

As reported by Dutch News online, euthanasia now accounts for 4% of
total deaths.

Meanwhile, the regional monitoring boards said the rules for euthanasia
were not followed correctly in 10 cases. Most of this involved a failure
to properly consult a second doctor. In one case, a doctor was
reprimanded for ?crossing the line? with a patient suffering from severe
dementia.

Of the total, 87% of assisted deaths involved people with cancer,
serious heart or lung problems or diseases of the nervous system such as
ALS. There were 32 more cases of assisted suicide involving people with
dementia.

In addition, there were 60 cases involving people with severe
psychiatric problems, a rise of four on 2015.

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Posted in Assisted dying, Assisted Suicide, Dutch euthanasia, Euthanasia, Final Exit, Nembutal, physician-assisted suicide, Politics/Law, right to die | No Comments »

Derek Humphry on YouTube about his new book

Apr 10th, 2017 by

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To hear Derek Humphry talk about his new book “Good Life, Good Death”
watch on YouTube at this link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnylxKT4r4k
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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Posted in Assisted dying, Assisted Suicide, Books, Derek Humphry, Dignitas, Euthanasia, Final Exit, Hemlock, People in the News, right to die, RTD News, Self-Deliverance | No Comments »

US Supreme Court has said that states may decide assisted suicide laws – Judge Gorsuch

Mar 22nd, 2017 by

Part of the Washington Post’s reporting 22 March 2017 on the senate hearings on whether to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch to the US Supreme Court:

Senator Diane Feinstein with Judge Gorsuch….

The two also discussed a book that Gorsuch wrote in which he opposed physician-assisted suicide, and said any taking of a human life was wrong.

Feinstein mentioned the death of her father and a close friend, which she said were agonizing. She mentioned California’s recent physician-assisted suicide law.

“My heart goes out to you,” Gorsuch said, and then appeared to choke up when he mentioned the death of his own father. He said his personal views would have no role in his duties as a judge, and noted the Supreme Court has ruled that states may allow laws such as California’s.
end extract

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Posted in Assisted dying, Assisted Suicide, Books, Death With Dignity Act, Derek Humphry, Euthanasia, Final Exit, Oregon law, right to die | No Comments »

US Supreme Court asked to rule on speech to dying person

Mar 16th, 2017 by

FEN takes Death with Dignity case to the U.S. Supreme Court

The Board of Directors of Final Exit Network has authorized an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States from the corporation’s conviction in Minnesota on a charge of “assisting” in a “suicide.”

On Tuesday, March 14, the Supreme Court of Minnesota declined to review the Network’s 2015 conviction. The Network’s petition for review by the Supreme Court of the United States is required to be filed within 90 days of the Supreme Court of Minnesota’s denial of review.

In May 2015, Final Exit Network, Inc. was convicted by a jury in Hastings, Minnesota of “assisting” in a “suicide” for having provided Exit Guide services to a woman who elected to terminate her extreme suffering. The Network was fined $30,000 and required to pay an additional $3,000 in restitution to the “victims,” the family of the deceased Network member, to cover her funeral expenses.

The Network appealed the 2015 conviction to the intermediate Court of Appeals of Minnesota, which affirmed the conviction last December. The Supreme Court of Minnesota denied review of the Court of Appeals’ decision.

Even though it was established at the trial that the Network’s Exit Guides, in accordance with the Network’s practices and protocols, did not provide any physical assistance in the death, the Network was convicted merely for giving information to Doreen Dunn, 57, of Apple Valley, Minnesota.

Under the Minnesota courts’ interpretation of that state’s law against “assisting” in a “suicide,” the Network was convicted for giving the Apple Valley member the website address where she could purchase Derek Humphry’s landmark bestseller, “Final Exit,” the Network’s namesake.

In all the Minnesota courts, the Network has asserted and will continue to assert in the Supreme Court of the United States that Final Exit Network’s giving of information to its members is a First Amendment-protected exercise of free speech, and therefore Minnesota cannot make it a crime.

“No other state in the country makes it a crime to give information about self-deliverance,” said the Network’s president, Janis Landis. “We find the Minnesota law intolerable and wrong and we will not give up the fight. This will be an expensive project and I call upon supporters of death with dignity and freedom of speech to contribute to our legal defense fund.”

—Final Exit Network
PO Box 10071
Tallahassee, FL 32302
www.FinalExitNetwork.org

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Posted in Assisted dying, Assisted Suicide, Books, Derek Humphry, Euthanasia, Final Exit, Final Exit Network, Politics/Law, Publications/InternetMedia, RTD News, RTD Organizations, Self-Deliverance, Self-directed death | No Comments »

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