Parliament passed the landmark laws on November 29, 2017, making Victoria the first Australian state to make the option available to people suffering with a terminal illness.

But the law didn't come into effect until today, to allow time for health services to prepare.

More than 120 doctors throughout the state are completing training to assess patient eligibility. Almost half of the participating doctors are from regional Victoria.

Graham Hookey, whose wife Dorothy took her own life in 2014 after suffering prolonged and worsening chronic pain, said the legislation was a wonderful first step.

But he questioned how many people's requests would progress beyond the initial phases.

"I'm of the opinion very few will," Mr Hookey said.

"The safety precautions built into the legislation will make it so difficult for people - remember, they're terminally ill."

RELATED: Assisted dying laws 'excellent first step' - husband of Dorothy Hookey

Voluntary assisted dying will only be available to adults who are deemed to have decision-making capacity, who are suffering, and who have an incurable, advanced and progressive disease, illness or medical condition likely to bring about their death within six months.

The exception is neurodegenerative conditions, for which the period of eligibility is extended to 12 months.

Persons seeking to access the scheme need to make three clear requests and be declared eligible by two independent medical assessments.

The person seeking the medication must initiate the request. Health practitioners who raise the issue with patients will be subject to unprofessional conduct investigations.

"When you get old and grumpy and sick, you reach a stage where you find it really difficult to initiate something... difficult," Mr Hookey said.

Even if a request was successful, he said it was that person's decision whether to take the drug.

Mr Hookey said some people who had the drugs might never use them, and might simply take comfort in knowing they had the means to end their suffering.

Any unused medication will be collected by the Melbourne-based pharmacy service that is the state's sole dispensary for voluntary assisted dying drugs.

RELATED: Coroners Court clears family of Dorothy Hookey of wrongdoing after she took her own life

Mr Hookey was hopeful 'dying with dignity', as he preferred to call it, would become easier to access in time, once the new scheme's effects had been assessed.

"We have got something. We can refine it if we need to," he said.

He was aware his opinion might be considered controversial.

"If you haven't been down that path you don't know the suffering and pain you feel... the feeling of hopelessness and helplessness," Mr Hookey said.

Premier Daniel Andrews said Victoria's voluntary assisted dying scheme was the most conservative model of its kind in the world.

"We know that only a small number of people will choose to access voluntary assisted dying, but it will make a world of difference for those who do," he said.

"A person's quality of death is part of their quality of life - and everyone deserves a genuine, compassionate choice."

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