ABSTRACT
The contrasting opinions on assisted dying in the mental health context are reflected in the various legal frameworks where assisted dying is allowed. Legislation on assisted dying around the world ranges from more restrictive to more liberal, to more permissive. Regardless of mental illness being excluded, it is evident that some eligible individuals requesting assisted dying due to a grievous and irremediable physical condition will also be living with concurrent mental health conditions. This chapter explores some of the most demanding dimensions of assisted dying in the context of mental health and substance use problems. It examines some of the counter-intuitions that often appear when discussing assisted dying for those experiencing mental health-substance use related suffering. Although there are currently 12 jurisdictions around the world where assisted dying has been decriminalized or legalized, only four of those, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, permit assisted dying for persons with an irremediable mental disorder.
