ANALYSIS: Is Assisted Death Being Extended to Drug Addicts in Canada?

The question remains as to what extent addicts may fall under the ’mental illness’ eligibility criteria as MAID expands in Canada.

Paramedics respond to a drug overdose in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on Sept. 10, 2020. The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward

Canada is making medical assistance in dying (MAID) accessible to people with mental illness as a sole condition next year, and recent commentary has raised the question of where drug addiction falls under this umbrella. 

A prominent addictions expert recently said MAID should be available to drug addicts, sparking debate over whether this could or should be the case.