Facts about Hemlock* and Caring Friends

Caring Friends is a program of the Hemlock Society (now called "Compassion & Choices," coordinated out of Hemlock's national headquarters in Denver.  Caring Friends trains volunteers to personally assist suicide and Hemlock provides how-to-commit-suicide information by mail.

Hemlock and Caring Friends promote assisted suicide for people with disabilities.

• Caring Friends seeks to have assisted suicide available for "every American whose quality of life is unacceptably diminished by an irreversible physical condition." [1] Note: "Irreversible physical condition" can include disabilities resulting from accidents, early stage multiple sclerosis, or minor strokes.
   
• Caring Friends services are available for those who have "an irreversible physical condition that severely compromises quality of life." [2]

Hemlock extols assisted suicide for elderly people who are not ill.

• "Some couples choose to die together, regardless of whether both are in poor health, or only one….That the couple would wish to die together is a tribute to the strength of a loving relationship." [3]

Hemlock advises that Caring Friends be present at assisted suicides.

• "Even if we published Helium for Dummies, we still think that having someone with expertise present is better." [4]
   
• "[E]nding your life can be complex, you only do it once, and failure could be disastrous." [5]
   
• "We think the majority of people considering a hastened death would have better results if they did it in conjunction with Caring Friends." [6]

Hemlock's Medical Director admits that plastic bags and gas are used for Caring Friends' assisted suicides.   

• "We have had to shift to techniques using plastic bags and helium. That, remarkably has become an acceptable method of hastening death….It is a very speedy process and it has never failed in our program." [7]

Hemlock's description of the plastic bag and gas method of assisted suicide:

• A plastic bag and helium produces "gentle, quick and certain death." [8]
   
• The gas "disperses easily and is difficult to trace in a corpse." [9]
   
• During the dying process "a little twitching in the arms and legs" should be expected. [10]
   
• One should say goodbye before the bag is pulled over the head since, once the flow of gas begins, "the helium makes the voice sound like Donald Duck." [11]
   
• "Although a large plastic bag for roasting can be used, we recommend the Canadian Exit Bag for Helium, which can be obtained from…" [12]
   
• "If a regular plastic bag is used, a rubber band or panty hose loosely tied around the neck is necessary." [13]

Hemlock claims that Caring Friends' services are available to Hemlock members only, however a person can become a Hemlock member via fax and request Caring Friends' services on the same day. [14]

* Note:  In mid 2003, the Hemlock Society changed its name to "End-of-Life Choices."  At the end of 2004, End-of-Life Choices merged with Compassion in Dying.  The organization is now known as "Compassion and Choices."