Switzerland: legal since 1942
Assisted dying has been legal in Switzerland since 1942, making it the longest-running legal framework for the practice in the modern world.
Where this was said
The History of MAID: Hemlock Society to Kevorkian to Oregon
At 9:58 · chapter starts 9:40
This chapter provides the historical scaffolding for the rest of the episode. Dubner notes that 12 US states plus D.C. now permit some form of assisted dying, with Oregon the pioneer in 1997 [1] — Stephen Dubner "Assisted dying has been legal in Switzerland since 1942, and now 12 US states plus D.C. have followed. The American movement was slow and c…" 09:31 . The modern movement traces back to Switzerland, where it has been legal since 1942, and which is where Kahneman traveled to die. Roth then recounts the American origins: the Hemlock Society, which published a frank how-to guide called 'Let Me Die Before I Wake,' and the problem it exposed — people who stockpiled pills but couldn't swallow them when gravely ill. Enter Jack Kevorkian, 'Dr. Death,' who built machines allowing patients to self-administer lethal drugs, filmed their consent, and deliberately informed police to challenge the law. He was tried for murder multiple times before being convicted on the one case where he administered the drug himself rather than letting the patient do it. Roth notes the movement stalled after Kevorkian: the caution around distinguishing 'help in stopping living' from 'aid in dying' has made progress slow.
12 US states + DC allow assisted dying
There are now 12 US states plus the District of Columbia where some form of assisted dying is legal, with Oregon being the first in 1997.
Jack Kevorkian and the Origins of MAID in America
Jack Kevorkian built a machine to allow patients to self-administer lethal drugs, filmed their decisions, informed police, and was tried for murder multiple times before being convicted and imprisoned. His public advocacy — controversial and confrontational — planted the seed for a movement that took decades to gain legal footing.
The Guardrails in New York's MAID Law
New York's MAID law, effective August 2025, requires a terminal prognosis of 6 months or less, a mandatory mental health evaluation, an in-person physician visit, a 5-day waiting period, and a video or audio recording of the patient's request. Hochul insisted on these guardrails as the price of her signature.
Similar snapshots
8 states have filed social media lawsuits
A total of 8 states have filed lawsuits against social media platforms, including an ongoing case in Tennessee, using product liability and public nuisance theories to seek accountability.
France built 56 nuclear plants in the 1970s
France built 56 nuclear plants in the 1970s and now has the cheapest energy in Europe, making it independent of Russian or Middle Eastern energy geopolitics.
Estonia has one tax form
Estonia has a single tax form, a law preventing the government from asking citizens for the same information twice, and a flat rate of tax — enabling competitive taxation.
Lisbon legalised drugs and slashed crime
Portugal's Lisbon, once a city with a major heroin problem, legalised drugs and redirected enforcement spending into rehabilitation and housing, dramatically reducing crime.
Boland Amendment vote: 411-0
The first Boland Amendment banning CIA and Defense Department funds for the Contras passed the House unanimously — yet the Reagan administration ignored it.
Saudi Arabia donated $32M to Contras
Over just two years, Saudi Arabia alone donated $32 million to the Contra rebels, giving loosely affiliated factions millions they had no way to spend on arms.
National Endowment: 52% program rate
The National Endowment for the Preservation of Liberty raised $6.3 million for the Contras but only $3.3 million reached them — a shockingly low 52% program expense rate.
Secord & Hakim marked up arms 300%
Richard Secord and Albert Hakim marked up their arms shipments to the Contras by as much as 300%, making enormous personal profits from the covert operation.
Oliver North had zero covert experience
Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, tapped to run the entire covert Contra support operation, had no prior experience in covert operations whatsoever — he was learning as he went.
