Legality of euthanasia

Not to be confused with Assisted suicide.
This article is about the legality of euthanasia of humans. For euthanasia performed on animals, see Animal euthanasia.

Current status of euthanasia around the world:
  Active voluntary euthanasia legal (Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal,[a] Spain, and the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia)
  Passive euthanasia legal (refusal of treatment / withdrawal of life support)
  Active euthanasia illegal, passive euthanasia not legislated or regulated
  All forms of euthanasia illegal
Current status of euthanasia in Europe:
  Active voluntary euthanasia legal[a]
  Passive euthanasia legal
  Active euthanasia illegal, passive euthanasia not legislated or regulated
  All forms of euthanasia illegal[b]

The legality of euthanasia varies between countries and territories. Efforts to change government policies on euthanasia of humans in the 20th and 21st centuries have met with limited success in Western countries. Human euthanasia policies have also been developed by a variety of NGOs, most advocacy organisations although medical associations express a range of perspectives, and supporters of palliative care broadly oppose euthanasia.

As of 2024, euthanasia is legal in Belgium,[1] Canada,[2] Colombia,[3] Ecuador, Luxembourg,[4][5] the Netherlands,[6][7] New Zealand,[8] Portugal (law not yet in force, awaiting regulation),[9][a] Spain[10][11] and all six states of Australia (New South Wales,[12] Queensland,[13] South Australia,[14] Tasmania,[15] Victoria[16] and Western Australia[17]). Euthanasia was briefly legal in Australia's Northern Territory in 1996 and 1997 but was overturned by a federal law. In 2021, a Peruvian court allowed euthanasia for a single person, Ana Estrada.[18] Eligibility for euthanasia varies across jurisdictions where it is legal, with some countries allowing euthanasia for mental illness.[19]

Euthanasia is distinct from assisted suicide, which may be legal in certain other jurisdictions.


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  1. ^ "28 MEI 2002. — Wet betreffende de euthanasie / 28 MAI 2002. — Loi relative a' l'euthanasie" (PDF) (in Dutch and French). Belgisch Staatsblad / Moniteur Belge. 22 June 2002. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Bill C-14. An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying". parl.ca. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Euthanasia regularly practiced in Colombia". NBC News. 31 July 2005. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  4. ^ Julien Ponthus (20 February 2008). "Luxembourg parliament adopts euthanasia law". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Legislation reglementant les soins palliatifs ainsi que l'euthanasie et l'assistance au suicide" (PDF) (in French). Journal Officiel du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. 16 March 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  6. ^ Janssen, André (2002). "The New Regulation of Voluntary Euthanasia and Medically Assisted Suicide in the Netherlands". Int J Law Policy Family. 16 (2): 260–269. doi:10.1093/lawfam/16.2.260. PMID 16848072.
  7. ^ "Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging op verzoek en hulp bij zelfdoding". overheid.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  8. ^ "New Zealand Voluntary Euthanasia Law Comes into Effect". Voice of America. 8 November 2021. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Portuguese parliament legalises euthanasia after long battle". The Guardian. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Spain passes law allowing euthanasia". BBC News. 18 March 2021. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Ley Orgánica 3/2021, de 24 de marzo, de regulación de la eutanasia" (in Spanish). Boletín Oficial del Estado. 25 March 2021. pp. 34037–34049. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021".
  13. ^ "Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021" (PDF).
  14. ^ "Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2020". 22 November 2021.
  15. ^ "End Of Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Bill 2020 (30 of 2020)". Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017".
  17. ^ "Voluntary assisted dying".
  18. ^ "Sentencia de Ana Estrada" (PDF).
  19. ^ Scopetti, Matteo; Morena, Donato; Padovano, Martina; Manetti, Federico; Di Fazio, Nicola; Delogu, Giuseppe; Ferracuti, Stefano; Frati, Paola; Fineschi, Vittorio (18 May 2023). "Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in Mental Disorders: Ethical Positions in the Debate between Proportionality, Dignity, and the Right to Die". Healthcare. 11 (10). MDPI AG: 1470. doi:10.3390/healthcare11101470. ISSN 2227-9032. PMC 10218690. PMID 37239756.