Assisted Suicide Deaths in California Spikes to Historic High

The 64% spike is likely due to 2022 legislation expanding access to assisted suicide

A new report reveals that California’s assisted suicides spiked to record highs in 2022 as compared to 2021.

This is likely due to legislation passed in the state last year that expanded access to physician-assisted suicide in the Golden State.

LifeNews reports that the California End of Life Option Act 2022 Data Report indicates a 63% increase of assisted suicide and a 47% increase in prescriptions for lethal drugs.

“In 2022 there were 853 reported assisted suicide deaths and 1270 lethal cocktail prescriptions written which was up from 522 reported assisted suicide deaths and 863 lethal prescriptions written in 2021,” the pro-life website reports.

“The report stated that 173 people who were approved for assisted suicide died from their underlying illness or other causes and 294 people received a lethal drug cocktail but their ingestion status is unknown,” it notes.

It’s sobering to consider that nearly 300 people are not known to be dead or alive by the California Department of Health.

What’s more, this self-reporting system means that only doctors who prescribe the lethal drug cocktail are the ones turning in data on the number of assisted suicide deaths in the state, making it impossible to track which medical professionals may have not turned in data or may be abusing the law.

LifeNews also notes that in 2022, the state legislature passed SB 380 which reduced the mandatory 15-day waiting period for lethal drugs to just 48 hours and forces doctors who morally oppose assisted suicide to refer patients to providers who are willing to facilitate assisted suicide.

Pray for those who are turning to assisted suicide to end their pain, that the light of the Gospel would shine in their lives and that they would know the One who will one day take away all their pain and Who longs to know and heal them!