In 2024, the majority of people who chose assisted dying in Colorado were white (93.5%) and held a bachelor’s degree (54.2%) or a high school diploma or GED (23%), according to state data. Nearly 60% lived in the Denver Metro Area.
Colorado approved Medical Aid in Dying in 2016, becoming the second state to do so. As of now, ten states allow assisted dying, according to Compassion and Choices.
Eligibility criteria
Compassion and Choices outlines the following requirements for medical aid in dying under Colorado law. A person must be:
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An adult
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Terminally ill
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Given a prognosis of six months or less to live
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Mentally capable of making their own healthcare decisions
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A Colorado resident
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Acting voluntarily
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Making an informed decision with knowledge of all end-of-life options
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Informed they can choose not to take the prescribed aid-in-dying medication
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Able to self-administer and ingest the medication
Not all prescriptions are used
In 2024, 510 patients were prescribed aid-in-dying medication under the Colorado End-of-Life Options Act—a 28% increase from 2023. Of these, 313 patients had the medication dispensed. The state also received death certificates for 429 individuals who had been prescribed the medication, though not all had it dispensed. Their deaths may have resulted from taking the medication, their terminal illness, or other causes.
Median age was 74
Out of the 510 prescriptions written in 2024, only 313 were filled. That year, 94 Colorado physicians or advanced practice registered nurses wrote prescriptions. Between 2017 and 2024, a total of 288 unique providers have done so. The median age of patients prescribed the medication in 2024 was 74, with some in their 20s and others in their 90s or older. Most suffered from cancer, progressive neurological or neurodegenerative disorders (like ALS, Parkinson’s, MS, and PSP), major cardiovascular diseases (including heart disease, stroke, and vascular conditions), or chronic lower respiratory illnesses such as COPD.
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