(Metro) – Since new legislation came into place last year, 28 people in Ottawa have ended their lives with the help of a physician. Advocates say the new legislation, which came into force last June, is taking a toll on some doctors, who are finding it difficult to help patients who want to die.

The 28 patients in Ottawa are as reported to the Ontario Coroner and include both patients who ended their lives in hospital and those who did so at home or in a care facility as of Feb. 3. Across the province, 250 people have ended their lives with physician assistance since the law came into place.

Jeff Blackmer, vice-president for medical professionalism at the Canadian Medical Association, said doctors have been telling his group that they struggle with taking part in assisted-death procedures. CONTINUE