Vermont, Oregon, Lead the US in This ‘Visitor’ Category

Some call it "end-of-life" assistance, others refer to it as "physician-assisted suicide." Either way, Vermont and Oregon are leading the US in this practice.

 According to the latest data, the number of people utilizing this is slowly growing

US law has changed a lot since the days of controversial Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who was known to some as "Dr. Suicide. or Dr Death"  His first assisted suicide was in 1990, he claimed he helped at least 130 people until his conviction in Michigan in a murder case, and then his death later.  Because of his more active role in the Michigan case, the prosecutor and jury saw it as a murder.

Kavorkian was the catalyst for 11 states in the US now allowing some form of assisted suicide, most states that have it refer to it as a Death with Dignity procedure.

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  However, Vermont and Oregon have what experts say is by far the most clear-cut and explicit policies, and they are more relaxed than others on residency requirements.

According to CBS, the rules are pretty clear:

"Oregon and Vermont require patients to be assessed by two doctors. Patients must have less than six months to live, be mentally and cognitively sound, and be physically able to ingest the drugs to end their lives. Charts and records must be reviewed in the state; neglecting to do so constitutes practicing medicine out of state, which violates medical licensing requirements. For the same reason, the patients must be in the state for the initial exam, when they request the drugs, and when they ingest them."

Over the last year, 26 people have traveled to Vermont, and 23 to Oregon for this purpose, most citing the lack of residency requirement making it much more feasible.

Oregon medical officials say the number of people choosing end-of-life options, either from in-state or coming there, is growing slowly, but steadily.