More Than 100 People Have Ended Their Lives Under California’s Right-to-Die Law

During the first six month’s of California’s right-to-die law, 111 people in the state ended their lives using lethal prescriptions.

The law — which allows terminally ill adults to obtain life-ending drugs from their doctors — took effect on June 9, 2016. Between then and the end of the year, 191 people received prescriptions under the act and 111 people died after taking prescribed aid-in-dying drugs, according to a report released Tuesday by the California Department of Public Health.

In that time period, a total of 258 people began the end-of-life process under the law, which requires patients to make two verbal requests to their doctors at least 15 days apart.

Of the 111 people who took their lives, 87.4% were 60 or older, and 83.8% were receiving hospice or palliative care, according to the report. Almost 90% of the people were white, and more than half were women.

California is one of six states that have granted a so-called “right-to-die” to people with terminal illnesses. Five states have passed laws and Montana’s courts have allowed the practice.