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U.S. NEWS Saturday 23 June 2018

Nearly 400 people used California assisted death law in 2017

By DON THOMPSON ease what otherwise might
Associated Press be a lingering and painful
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) death.
— California health officials State health officials report-
reported Friday that 374 ed Friday that 632 people
terminally ill people took started to use the law last
drugs to end their lives last year by making two verbal
year, the first full year after requests to their physicians
a law made the option le- at least 15 days apart. The
gal. data comes from death
The California Department certificates and forms doc-
of Public Health said 577 tors were required to sub-
people received aid-in- mit. It said 241 doctors pre-
dying drugs in 2017, but not scribed the drugs last year.
everyone used them. The The 374 people who died
law allows adults to obtain include 11 people who
a prescription for life-end- were prescribed drugs in
ing drugs if a doctor has 2016 but died last year.
determined that they have Another 86 people were
six months or less to live. prescribed the lethal drugs
They can self-administer but died without taking
the drugs. them, while the fate of
Of the 374 who died, about In this Sept. 24, 2015 file photo supporters of a measure to allow terminally ill people to end their the remaining 128 people
90 percent were more than own life march at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. wasn’t reported.
60 years of age, about 95 Associated Press Of those who died from the
percent were insured and went into effect June 9, state contends that the law had to move to Oregon in drugs, nearly 10 percent
about 83 percent were re- 2016. In those early months was legally passed during 2014 so she could end her were under 60; 77 percent
ceiving hospice or similar 191 people received life- a special legislative session life. Doctor-assisted deaths were 60-89; and the rest
care. ending drugs, while 111 dedicated to health issues. are also legal in Colorado, were older than 90. The
The numbers come as the people took them and The Fourth District Court of Montana, Vermont, Wash- median age was 74.
law is caught up in a court died. Appeals in Riverside last ington state and Washing- About 89 percent were
battle. A judge earlier this Riverside County Superior week stayed that decision ton, D.C. white, 51 percent were
year halted it, saying it was Court Judge Daniel Ot- and reinstated the End of Critics argue the law can women, and 73 percent
adopted illegally during a tolia ruled in May that the Life Option, but gave op- prompt hasty decisions had some college educa-
special legislative session. law is unconstitutional be- ponents of its decision until and misdiagnoses and less tion.
An appeals court has since cause it was adopted il- July 2 to file objections. use of palliative care, in About 68 percent had can-
reinstated it. legally when lawmakers The law passed in Califor- which dying people can cer, while others had ALS or
The figures are more than passed it during a special nia after 29-year-old Brit- be sedated to relieve suf- Parkinson’s diseases, car-
double those from the first Legislative session called to tany Maynard, who was fering. Supporters say it diovascular or respiratory
six months after the law address other matters. The dying from brain cancer, gives people the choice to diseases.q

Lawsuits challenge efforts to

push abstinence-only on teens

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS nancy Prevention Program Prevention Program has
Associated Press from what they termed in- served about 1.2 million
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — effective abstinence-only- teens in 39 states since it
Several affiliates of Planned until-marriage curriculums. started in 2010. The Trump
Parenthood sued the U.S. “Young people have the administration in April an-
Department of Health and right to the information nounced it would remake
Human Services on Friday and skills they need to pro- the program to push absti-
over its efforts to impose tect their health,” Dawn nence-only counseling.
an abstinence-only focus Laguens said in a press Last year, the agency in-
on its Teen Pregnancy Pre- release, vice president of formed recipients of 81
vention Program that has Planned Parenthood Fed- teen pregnancy preven- In this Oct. 20, 2017, file photo, activists with Planned Parenthood
served more than 1 million eration of America. “The tion grants that it would ter- demonstrate in support of a pregnant 17-year-old being held in
young people. Trump-Pence administra- minate their grant agree- a Texas facility for unaccompanied immigrant children to obtain
an abortion, outside of the Department of Health and Human
The lawsuits were filed in tion is trying to impose their ments two years early, Services in Washington.
federal courts in New York abstinence-only agenda meaning this year. That Associated Press
City and Spokane, Wash- on young people across decision was made after
ington, by four different the country.” President Trump appointed effectiveness of teen preg- Supporters of the Teen
Planned Parenthood af- Evidence shows such Valerie Huber as chief of nancy prevention grants. Pregnancy Prevention Pro-
filiates covering New York programs do not work, staff for the Office of Assis- In April, a federal judge gram credit it with helping
City and the states of Alas- Laguens said. tant Secretary of Health. in Spokane blocked the to lower the teen pregnan-
ka, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, An email sent to the Health After her appointment, Hu- Trump administration from cy rate 41 percent since
Nebraska and Washington. and Human Services public ber wrote an article decry- cutting the grants. Judges 2010. But the agency has
Planned Parenthood says relations office was not im- ing the lack of federal fund- in Seattle, Baltimore and issued past statements call-
the lawsuits are intended mediately answered on Fri- ing for abstinence educa- Washington, D.C., have ing the program ineffec-
to protect the Teen Preg- day. The Teen Pregnancy tion and questioned the made similar rulings. tive. q