The Colorado End of Life Options Act authorizes medical aid in dying. Medical aid in dying is a safe and trusted medical practice in which a terminally ill, mentally capable adult with a prognosis of six months or less to live may request from their doctor or advanced practice registered nurse a prescription for medication, which they can choose to self-ingest to bring about a peaceful death. The law went into effect in early January 2017. Gov. Polis signed the expansion of the Colorado End-of-Life Option Act on June 5, 2024, and the law went into effect on August 7, 2024.
A person must also be:
In addition to the requirements listed above, certain steps must be followed in order for a person to qualify for aid-in-dying medication. The average length of time between requesting and receiving a prescription is between 15 days to three months and requires at least two doctor visits. Therefore, it is important for individuals to talk to their doctors early to see whether the doctor is willing to write a prescription. We encourage everyone to begin this conversation now.
For more information on the full range of end-of-life options visit the Compassion & Choices End of-Life-Information Center.