How to Die in Oregon (2011)

In 1994, Oregon became the first state to pass a Death with Dignity law. This documentary details the experiences of some of the the individuals, their family members, and medical professionals who have been personally affected from the act. Discussion of these laws often feels very abstract and theoretical, but this film offers intimate, personal portrayals of what it is like when people are given a choice in their medical decisions, even if it’s the last one they will ever make, and what it is like to die on their own terms. I am somewhat haunted by the horror stories of family members who died in excruciating pain in their final days. While I have no idea what their own choices would have been if they had been given the opportunity, I remain grateful I live in one of the eight other states that have passed similar laws since.