Washington Death with Dignity Act- Initiative 1000

• Click here to read the initiative in PDF format
• The FAQ and Death with Dignity FORMS are available at Department of Health Website.
• Patients should consider talking to their doctor now about their end of life wishes and we strongly advise that you have this conversation face to face with your doctor. This Letter to My Physician can be used to help you gather your thoughts to have this conversation.

Washington State took a tremendous step on November 4 by passing Initiative 1000.  We are grateful to the thousands of volunteers and supporters who made this victory possible.   

Initiative 1000 is modeled after Oregon’s Death with Dignity law and C&C’s own guidelines and safeguards.  Just as with Oregon’s law, our new law will be implemented and enforced by the state of Washington, through the Department of Health.  C&C led the Initiative 1000 campaign from the beginning, and we will be monitoring the implementation process closely to make sure that the new law is implemented correctly and completely. 

The state has 120 days to implement Initiative 1000, which means that the law will not take effect until March 5, 2009.  We will keep this page updated as more information becomes available. Scroll down to read more about the provisions of this law.

If you are a terminally ill individual who is seeking to avoid suffering at the end of life, we can help.  Compassion & Choices of Washington has offered direct client services to terminally ill individuals for the past fifteen years, and we will continue to provide those services to clients who qualify under our guidelines and safeguards.  To request case management, call our office at 206-256-1636 or 1-877-222-2816, toll-free.  (More details about the services we provide are available on this page.)

If you are a physician seeking consultation about I-1000, we have physicians on our board and advisory committee who are available for consultation.

The best way to stay informed is to sign up for our online newsletter.  Enter your email address below to join our email list. 

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Ten Years of Dignity in Oregon

I-1000 mirrors the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, which has been in place for over 10 years. The Oregon law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court and approved twice by voters.

The most significant impact of the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon has been to improve the care for all dying patients, by increasing awareness among doctors, allowing an open and honest conversation between doctors and patients, improving pain management and palliative care, and providing patients with a sense of control and peace of mind.

Earlier this year, The Oregonian newspaper wrote that the law “helped elevate end-of-life care” and that “in a decade of experience with the law, no abuses have shown up.” The Seattle Times added that “those it affects, and their families, will be thankful for its passage.”

Independent studies of Oregon’s Death with Dignity law prove that the safeguards protect patients, prevent misuse and coercion, and allow mentally competent, terminally ill patients the option of a peaceful, dignified death. People with terminal cancer and AIDS would have the right to decide whether to end their intolerable suffering.

The Safeguards Work

There are multiple safeguards in Washington’s death with dignity law. These safeguards include independently witnessed oral and written requests, two waiting periods, mental competency and prognosis confirmed by two physicians, and self-administration of the medication. Only the patient – and no one else – may administer the medication.

Washington’s Death with Dignity safeguards:

1. The patient must be at least 18 years old
2. The patient must be a resident of the state of Washington
3. The patient must be terminally ill - not disabled, but diagnosed as terminally ill
4. The terminally ill patient must have 6 months or less to live, as verified by two physicians
5. Three requests for Death with Dignity must be made (two verbal and one written)
6. Two physicians must verify the mental competence of the terminally ill patient
7. The request must be made voluntarily, without coercion, as verified by two physicians
8. The terminally ill patient must be informed of all other options, including palliative care, pain management and hospice care
9. There is a 15 day waiting period between the first oral request and the written request
10. There is a 48 hour waiting period between the written request and the writing of the prescription
11. The terminally ill patient's written request must be independently witnessed, by two people, at least one of whom is not related to the patient or employed by the health care facility
12. The terminally ill patient is encouraged to discuss their decision with family (not required because of confidentiality laws)
13. Only the terminally ill patient may self-administer the medication
14. The patient may change their mind at any time

The safeguards in Washington's Death with Dignity Act ensure that terminally ill patients are making a voluntary and informed decision. These same safeguards have worked in Oregon for over 10 years. Patients must be terminally ill, must have less than 6 months to live, the patient must make two independently witnessed requests, and every step of the process must be approved by two doctors.