Disability rights groups sue Colorado, challenging medical aid-in-dying law

Four disability rights organizations and a Littleton woman are challenging Colorado s medicinal aid-in-dying law arguing it discriminates against people with disabilities by allowing them to die by suicide instead of preventing it The complaint filed Monday in U S District Court argues that the law s requirement that someone have a terminal illness to access lethal medication means that only people with disabilities will receive a prescription rather than a referral to suicide prevention services It also says the law s requirement that providers discuss alternatives to dying is inadequate Plaintiff Mary Grossman noted she feared being steered toward the health aid-in-dying option if she needed hospital care again for her anorexia and depression Grossman s illnesses at present are under control according to the lawsuit The clinical aid-in-dying law doesn t automatically require a mental strength assessment unless the provider has concerns that the individual may not be competent enough to seek lethal medication The law assumes that a request for assisted suicide is not an indication of a mental disorder when other Colorado laws make precisely the opposite assumption for virtually everyone else the complaint says The other plaintiffs are the United Spinal Association a group called Not Dead Yet the Institute for Patients Rights and Atlantis ADAPT The Colorado Attorney General s Office the state biological board the Colorado Department of Populace Medical and Ecosystem and a spokesperson for Gov Jared Polis declined to comment saying they don t speak about pending litigation Related Articles Colorado among states to result win in funds for electric carriage charging Owners dustup turns to legal duel at Little Bear Saloon in Evergreen How President Trump s shifting deportation push has played out in Colorado There s no small moves Jury finds MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell liable for defamation orders him to pay M in damages Jury begins deliberations in Mike Lindell defamation trial in Denver over balloting conspiracies Voters approved Proposition in creating Colorado s therapeutic aid-in-dying effort Last year lawmakers shortened the waiting time to one week down from at least days for people who are expected to die in the next six months An exception allows for an immediate prescription if a provider believes the recipient would die naturally in the next hours The state strength department disclosed people received a prescription for biological aid-in-dying in The largest part common condition listed was cancer which affected of those who qualified for the medication Eighteen people received a prescription because of severe protein calorie malnutrition which could include eating disorders Last year people opted to pick up the medication and people who received a prescription died Both numbers could include people who qualified the previous year The tally of those who died included people who opted not to take the prescription and died of natural causes Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter