Today, June 9, 2016, California has become the fifth state in the U.S. to support legal euthanasia for its terminally ill patients. They can now end their own lives with doctor-prescribed medication without any legal consequences.

Despite vocal opposition from different groups, Gov. Jerry Brown signed today the “End of Life Option Act” into law. However, voters and patients with terminal diseases insisted this kind of law offers a sense of peace to those in impossible and painful situations.

Some cancer patients need to take hundreds of pills daily just to stay alive and keep a sense of control over the almost constant pain. Those over 18 years old and with a diagnosis that won’t allow them to live more than 6 months will be able to get a life-ending drug prescription from their physician.

According to Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez, this law will kill “those whose suffering we can no longer tolerate,” adding that “killing is not caring.”

The law will start taking effect on June 9, and it also requires the patients to be evaluated by two different doctors before they are deemed eligible and able to self-administer the drug.

One of the obstacles, however, remains the price of the drug – around $4,000 – which is not covered by insurance plans. Euthanasia laws have already been approved in Washington, Oregon, and Vermont.

California’s decision to support the end-of-life law was partly due to the case of 29-year-old Brittany Maynard. Back in 2009, Maynard was a California resident who would not allow her terminal brain tumor to degrade her body, so she decided to move to Oregon so she can benefit from the state’s right-to-die legislation.

However, many Californian doctors are concerned about where to draw the line as the new law goes into effect.

“Suddenly, that bright line is not so bright,” said Dr. Neil Wenger, an expert on internal medicine who thinks that making doctor-assisted dying legal induces confusion into what used to be a clear distinction for health care providers.

Wegner, who is in charge of implementing the new law at UCLA, said he doesn’t believe he will ever practice it, since it’s against the Hippocratic Oath of the medical staff.

The bill will remain in effect for 10 years starting 2016.
Image Source: Kusi