Colorado bid to expand assisted suicide law

Legislation has been published in the US state of Colorado that would radically expand access to assisted suicide.

A bill before the state's legislature would allow access by non residents, and reduce a mandatory waiting time from 15 days to 48 hours. Similar expansion of laws can be seen in other US states, and European nations including Belgium and the Netherlands.

The state of Vermont recently became the first area of the US to allow any person to access its assisted suicide system. And California has seen increasing access to its regime after it slashed a mandatory waiting period.

Critics of assisted suicide and euthanasia argue that laws inevitably shift in the direction of easier access by more people.

In Scotland, assisted suicide proposals are expected within the next few months. Opposition to the practice can be seen across the political spectrum.

Last year, SNP First Minister Humza Yousaf noted his opposition, based on hearing personal testimonies of disabled people.

In January, senior Conservative MSP Sue Webber said she had changed her mind, warning of the potential for "legislative creep".

Whilst Labour's Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP has said that disabled people should have a "right to live" enshrined in law, before "a right to die".