Hemlock Society

The Hemlock Society USA was a national right-to-die organization founded in 1980 in Santa Monica by author and activist Derek Humphry. Its primary missions included providing information to dying persons and supporting legislation permitting physician-assisted dying. In 2003 the national organization renamed itself to End of Life Choices, and a year later merged with another group into a newly formed national organization called Compassion & Choices.

Earlier right-to-die advocacy organizations, such as the Euthanasia Educational Council which formed in 1967 and changed its name to Concern For Dying in 1978, pre-dated The Hemlock Society and its mission.

Hemlock was a founding charter member of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies when the international organization initiated in 1980 in Oxford, England, by Sidney D. Rosoff and Derek Humphry. Hemlock's national membership grew to 40,000 with eighty chapters.

Hemlock backed legislative efforts in California, Washington, Michigan, and Maine without success until the Oregon Death with Dignity Act was passed October 27, 1997.

Past Hemlock Society USA presidents included Gerald A. Larue, Derek Humphry, Sidney D. Rosoff, Wiley Morrison, Arthur Metcalfe, John Westover, Faye J. Girsh. Past executive directors included Derek Humphry (acting 1980–1992), Cheryl K. Smith (1992–1993), John A. Pridonoff (1993–1995), Helen Voorhis (acting 1995–1996), Faye J. Girsh (1996–2000).

The organization changed its name to End of Life Choices in 2002, and merged with the Compassion In Dying Federation in 2003 to become Compassion & Choices. Several supporters of the Hemlock Society started Final Exit Network in 2004.

...
Wikipedia