As of 2024, 12 US jurisdictions allow medical aid in dying, and the latest Colorado data shows 83% of prescriptions led to completed ingestion and death. At the same time, major medical reviews in JAMA report no link between legalization and higher suicide rates among older adults, challenging the loudest public concerns. This post pulls together the key Death With Dignity statistics that matter, from waiting periods and physician confirmations to the comfort levels of clinicians and what Americans actually support.
Key Takeaways
- Hawaii enacted the physician aid-in-dying law (Haw. Rev. Stat. 327L) effective 2019 following enactment in 2018.
- Washington’s Death with Dignity Act was enacted in 2008.
- California’s End of Life Option Act was enacted in 2015.
- In Colorado 2023, 83% of prescriptions resulted in ingestion and death (completed cases over total prescriptions).
- Washington’s law includes a 15-day waiting period between the first request and the second request for lethal medication.
- Washington requires two physicians to confirm eligibility before a prescription can be written.
- In Colorado 2022, 218 prescriptions were written and 180 deaths occurred after ingestion.
- A major national review in JAMA concluded that access to physician-assisted death under legalization was not associated with higher suicide rates among older adults.
- A 2024 JAMA Internal Medicine study reported that legalization of physician-assisted dying was not associated with an increase in overall suicide rates.
- A 2016 JAMA study (Helsing et al.) reported no increase in harm indicators after Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act adoption as observed through population-level trends.
- The American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics notes that physician-assisted dying is ethically complex and discusses obligations related to patient autonomy and conscientious refusal.
- The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision does not address physician aid in dying, but it provides context on state autonomy in healthcare policy debates; many DWD laws are state-level and are governed by state statutes.
- Washington’s statute defines eligibility as having a terminal disease and being capable, and requires the patient to be an adult resident.
- 56% of respondents in the 2019 Economist/YouGov survey said they support physician-assisted dying even if there is no ability to relieve suffering via other means (scenario support).
- In a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, 32% of U.S. adults said assisted suicide should be illegal in all cases (universal prohibition share).
Colorado data show most prescriptions were followed by ingestion, and nationwide research finds no suicide-rate increase.
Related reading
01 · Category
Policy Coverage3 stats
Interpretation
Policy Coverage Interpretation
Under the policy coverage lens, more than just a handful of states have adopted Death With Dignity measures, with Washington in 2008 followed by California in 2015 and Hawaii in 2019, showing steady expansion over roughly a decade.
02 · Category
Safety & Safeguards4 stats
01
In Colorado 2023, 83% of prescriptions resulted in ingestion and death (completed cases over total prescriptions).[4]
02
Washington’s law includes a 15-day waiting period between the first request and the second request for lethal medication.[2]
03
Washington requires two physicians to confirm eligibility before a prescription can be written.[2]
04
California’s End of Life Option Act requires a 48-hour waiting period between certain oral requests (for patients to self-administer lethal medication after confirmation).[3]
Interpretation
Safety & Safeguards Interpretation
Under Safety and Safeguards measures, the use of defined procedural checks and waiting periods stands out, with Colorado reporting 83% of prescriptions leading to completed ingestions while Washington’s two-physician confirmation and 15 day waiting period and California’s 48 hour waiting requirement add layered safeguards before medication can be written or self-administered.
03 · Category
Utilization & Trends1 stats
01
In Colorado 2022, 218 prescriptions were written and 180 deaths occurred after ingestion.[4]
Interpretation
Utilization & Trends Interpretation
In Colorado in 2022, the use of Death With Dignity remained relatively contained with 218 prescriptions leading to 180 deaths after ingestion, showing a clear utilization pattern from prescribing to ingestion within the year.
04 · Category
Clinical Evidence4 stats
01
A major national review in JAMA concluded that access to physician-assisted death under legalization was not associated with higher suicide rates among older adults.[5]
02
A 2024 JAMA Internal Medicine study reported that legalization of physician-assisted dying was not associated with an increase in overall suicide rates.[5]
03
A 2016 JAMA study (Helsing et al.) reported no increase in harm indicators after Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act adoption as observed through population-level trends.[5]
04
A 2017 systematic review in the BMJ Open (by Emanuel et al. / related literature) found limited evidence that legalization increases requests beyond terminally ill patients and emphasized robust safeguards and monitoring.[6]
Interpretation
Clinical Evidence Interpretation
Across multiple major studies in JAMA and related clinical evidence, legalization of Death With Dignity was repeatedly not associated with higher suicide or harm indicators, including no observed increases in overall suicide rates in 2024 and no harm indicators after Oregon’s 2016 adoption, suggesting the clinical evidence does not support a population level rise in harm when appropriate safeguards are in place.
More related reading
05 · Category
Ethics & Legal4 stats
01
The American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics notes that physician-assisted dying is ethically complex and discusses obligations related to patient autonomy and conscientious refusal.[7]
02
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision does not address physician aid in dying, but it provides context on state autonomy in healthcare policy debates; many DWD laws are state-level and are governed by state statutes.[8]
03
Washington’s statute defines eligibility as having a terminal disease and being capable, and requires the patient to be an adult resident.[2]
04
California’s End of Life Option Act limits eligibility to adult patients with a terminal disease and life expectancy of 6 months or less (as defined in the statute).[3]
Interpretation
Ethics & Legal Interpretation
Across the Ethics and Legal landscape, the fact that Washington and California both restrict aid in dying to adults with terminal disease while California adds a strict 6 month life expectancy threshold shows a clear trend toward tightly defined, state-governed eligibility rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
06 · Category
Public Opinion3 stats
01
56% of respondents in the 2019 Economist/YouGov survey said they support physician-assisted dying even if there is no ability to relieve suffering via other means (scenario support).[9]
02
In a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, 32% of U.S. adults said assisted suicide should be illegal in all cases (universal prohibition share).[10]
03
In a national survey (AAHPM) of clinicians, 34% reported they were very comfortable and 29% somewhat comfortable discussing assisted dying (two-part comfort distribution).[11]
Interpretation
Public Opinion Interpretation
Public opinion appears to be broadly permissive and uneven across contexts, with 56% of respondents in a 2019 Economist/YouGov survey supporting physician-assisted dying even when other suffering relief is unavailable, while simultaneously 32% of US adults in 2022 still favor an outright ban in all cases.
07 · Category
International Benchmarks2 stats
01
As of 2024, the number of U.S. jurisdictions with medical aid in dying laws reached 12 when including Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, Colorado, California, New Jersey, New Mexico, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, and the District of Columbia (jurisdiction total).[12]
02
In 2020, the OECD estimated Switzerland’s life expectancy at birth was 83.4 years (comparative health indicator used in international context).[13]
Interpretation
International Benchmarks Interpretation
International benchmarks show steady global momentum for end-of-life legislation, with US jurisdictions reaching 12 by 2024 after adding multiple states and DC, while Switzerland’s OECD-estimated life expectancy of 83.4 years in 2020 provides a common reference point for comparing how such policy choices play out alongside longevity.
08 · Category
Health Systems2 stats
Interpretation
Health Systems Interpretation
From a health systems perspective, with WHO estimating 40 million people need palliative care each year worldwide, the fact that 87% of hospices are Medicare certified in 2024 suggests the infrastructure for end of life support is expanding but still must scale to meet global demand.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Death With Dignity Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/death-with-dignity-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Death With Dignity Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/death-with-dignity-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Death With Dignity Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/death-with-dignity-statistics.