Death with Dignity bill introduced in Colorado

Colorado lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday, to allow terminally-ill patients to end their life.

The Death with Dignity bill was introduced by Rep. Lois Court, D-Denver, Rep. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins and Sen. Lucia Guzman, D-Denver. It would allow patients to be prescribed medication to end their life. They would need to request it three times in writing and verbally. Two doctors would have to determine the patient has six months to live. The patient would have to be considered mentally capable to make the decision and self-administer the medication.

“I am not advocating for any doctor to participate if he or she does not wish,” said Julie Selsberg. Her father suffered from ALS and starved himself to die. “But it is so obvious to me that it is the kind and compassionate option to give to somebody who would want it.”

Hedwig Ogrodny, of Security, disagrees with the bill. She suffers from pulmonary fibrosis and was told she had two weeks to live, last Thanksgiving.

“I don’t think creation and death should be our decisions. I don’t believe in that. God is the creator of everything,” she said. “Some would say, ‘I don’t want to suffer that much.’ Well, suffering is a grace. When you suffer, it’s a grace.”

The bill has yet to be heard in committee. You can find it in its entirety here.