Blog
August 1, 2021
The Azide Wars
The Backstory
The first shots in The Azide Wars were fired in March 2019 when the Dutch Medical Association Journal NTvG published several articles attacking what was described in the editorial as ‘the ideology of suicide”’
In a lead article ‘The Rise and Fall of Agent X’, journalist (and co-author with Boudewijm Chabot of Uitweg)…
July 25, 2021
Suicide Related Materials Offences Act
Exit International has long been the subject of political persecution by multiple governments in Australia. Nowhere is this more obvious than with the Suicide Related Materials Offences Act (Australia) amendment to the Australian Criminal Code.
In short, this infamous 2006 Australian law prevents the use of the phone, email, fax and the Internet to …
July 4, 2021
Celebrating 25 Years since the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act
We are celebrating 25 Years since the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1 July 2021, because it was 25 years since the Northern Territory of Australia became the first place in the world to implement a voluntary euthanasia law, the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act.
The law was enacted on 1 July …
June 13, 2021
Holocaust Survivor Zsuzsi Yardley dies in Switzerland
Exit Life Member – Zsuzsi Yardley – died in Switzerland on 3 June 2021.
Shortly before her death Zsuzsi wrote:
Dear Friends,
It is more than fifty years ago that I joined a campaigning organisation for the right to make choices at the end of life, called Exit.
Organisations change, their names change, my opinions …
April 25, 2021
Australia Border Force Seize Peaceful Pill Handbook
It is perhaps ironic that the very week that ABC TV screens Laura’s Choice documentary – a film that features the Peaceful Pill Handbook – that Australia Border Force Seize Peaceful Pill Handbook – copies that have been properly ordered from OS by seriously ill, older Australians.
This is now 2 editions of the book …
March 28, 2021
Assisted Dying and Organ Donation
At Exit, we are often asked about assisted dying and organ donation. For example, is it possible to donate one’s organs after a suicide or, in the context of an assisted dying law, after the assisted death/ assisted suicide.
In general, the answer has always been no, except in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium …
March 7, 2021
The First Place in the World
Very Brief History
On 1 July 1995, the Northern Territory of the Australia became the first place in the world to pass an assisted dying law.
The Rights of the Terminally Ill Act (ROTI) was that law.
On 1 July 1996, the full implementation of the law occurred.
On 22 September 1996, the law was …
January 31, 2021
Vale – Kevin Andrews Loses Preselection
International readers may well ask who is Kevin Andrews?
In a nutshell, he’s the guy whose private member’s bill in the Australian Parliament (The Euthanasia Laws Act) led to the overturning of the world’s first voluntary euthanasia law – the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act (NT) (ROTI) in 1996.
December 8, 2020
Mental Illness & the Good Death
This blog entry has been prompted by the recent wave of law reform occurring in Australia and its neighbour, New Zealand.
From a rocky start some 25 years ago when the Northern Territory (one of Australia’s 3 territories vis a vis states) passed the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act (the law lasted only …
November 8, 2020
Dying in Switzerland during COVID-19
This week’s news has concerned an anonymous 45 year old British woman (Ms Anon) who went public with her plight to die.
According to the media reports, her story went like this.
She had gone from working in a senior position in the NHS (National Health Service). But then got the diagnosis so many women …
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