Map shows the countries where assisted dying is legal | UK News [Video]

Today MPs took the historic step towards legalising assisted dying in England and Wales.

A majority of 330 voted in favour of a bill that would give people with fewer than six months to live the right to request and be offered help to die.

A total of 275 MPs voted against the change, which is unlikely to come into effect for another three years as it must pass through several more hurdles.

Assisted dying is already legal in several countries across the world, with Switzerland the first nation to introduce the right as far back as 1942.

It wasn’t until 1997 that other countries – namely Columbia and Luxemburg – followed suit, along with the US states of Vermont and Oregon.

This prompted a steady stream of nations, as well as certain US states and all but one Australian state, to change their laws over the next 17 years.

The assisted dying …