 |
| Hemlock |
spearheaded by the suicide advocacy group, Compassion
& Choices.
Compassion & Choices was formed in 2004 as the result of a merger/takeover of two other organizations.[1] One of these organizations was the former Hemlock Society, originally formed by Derek Humphry.[2]
In 2011, Humphry was the keynote speaker at Compassion & Choices’ annual meeting here in Washington State.[3] He was also in the news as a promoter of mail-order suicide kits.[4] This was after a depressed 29 year old man used one of the kits to kill himself.[5] Compassion & Choices’ newsletter, promoting Humphry’s presentation, references him as “the father of the modern movement for choice.”[6] Compassion & Choices’ mission is to promote suicide.
By Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA
Footnotes:
[1] Ian Dowbiggin, A Concise History of Euthanasia 146 (2007)(“In 2003, [the] Hemlock [Society] changed its name to End-of-Life Choices, which merged with Compassion in Dying in 2004, to form Compassion & Choices.”). Accord. Compassion & Choices Newsletter at https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/humphry-keynote.pdf
[2] Id.
[3] Compassion & Choices Newsletter, regarding Humphry’s October 22, 2011 speaking date, at https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/humphry-keynote.pdf
[4] See Jack Moran, "Police kick in door in confusion over suicide kit,” The Register-Guard, September 21, 2011 (“"A spotlight was cast on the mail-order suicide kit business after a 29-year-old Eugene man committed suicide in December using a helium hood kit. The Register-Guard traced the $60 kit to [the company, which] has no website and does no advertising; clients find [the] address through the writings of Humphry.")(Emphasis added)
[5] Id.
[6] Compassion & Choices Newsletter, at A-91, https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/humphry-keynote.pdf
Footnotes:
[1] Ian Dowbiggin, A Concise History of Euthanasia 146 (2007)(“In 2003, [the] Hemlock [Society] changed its name to End-of-Life Choices, which merged with Compassion in Dying in 2004, to form Compassion & Choices.”). Accord. Compassion & Choices Newsletter at https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/humphry-keynote.pdf
[2] Id.
[3] Compassion & Choices Newsletter, regarding Humphry’s October 22, 2011 speaking date, at https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/humphry-keynote.pdf
[4] See Jack Moran, "Police kick in door in confusion over suicide kit,” The Register-Guard, September 21, 2011 (“"A spotlight was cast on the mail-order suicide kit business after a 29-year-old Eugene man committed suicide in December using a helium hood kit. The Register-Guard traced the $60 kit to [the company, which] has no website and does no advertising; clients find [the] address through the writings of Humphry.")(Emphasis added)
[5] Id.
[6] Compassion & Choices Newsletter, at A-91, https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/humphry-keynote.pdf
