Washington Preps Assisted Suicide Plan
Voters Approved It, Now State Prepares Guidelines For Doctors To Aid Suicide
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(AP)
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Washington is now the second state in the nation to have such a law, and officials may look to neighboring Oregon for a blueprint.
The measure takes effect March 4. Officials at the attorney general's office and the state Department of Health said they have just started to go through the language of the measure, which passed Tuesday.
Department of Health spokesman Tim Church said it won't have to create a new office or section within the agency. Under the measure, any health care provider writing a prescription or dispensing medication must file a copy of the record with the Health Department, which is required to create an annual statistical report on how the law is used.
Church said questions about other responsibilities the department might have will be determined during the rule-making process, which hasn't started yet.
"We're going to be gathering information over the next few weeks and expect to start the rule-making process by the end of this month," he said.
Anne Martens, spokeswoman for the coalition that supported the measure, said the parties with an interest in the measure likely will study how Oregon's law was put into effect "and see if we can take that experience and make implementation as easy as possible here."
"I don't anticipate any legislative tinkering, but you can never rule that out," she said. "The law as written is identical to the law that's been working in Oregon. We don't see any need to change any part of it."
Opponents said they don't plan to be at the table to help with the process.
"We do not concede that Initiative 1000 is a law in this state," said Eileen Geller, campaign coordinator for the opposition. "Right now for us every option is on the table. Legal is one of them."
Any legal challenge could be difficult since the Washington law mirrors Oregon's law, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Under the new Washington law, any patient requesting fatal medication must be at least 18, declared competent and a resident of Washington state.
The patient would have to make two oral requests, 15 days apart, and submit a written request witnessed by two people. One of the witnesses must not be a relative, heir, attending doctor, or connected with a health facility where the requester lives.
Two doctors also would have to certify that the patient has a terminal condition and six months or less to live.
Jennifer Hanscom, spokeswoman for the Washington State Medical Association, which opposed the measure, said the organization has already started educating its more than 9,600 physicians about the new law. Information is on the group's Web site, and a newsletter was being sent to members.
"We respect the wishes of the public and the public has made their wishes known," she said.
She said it will be looking closely at the initiative language to see if there's room for improvements, but "we are not actively seeking any changes."
Under the measure, physicians and pharmacists are not required to write or fill lethal prescriptions if they are opposed to the law.
Since Oregon's law took effect in 1997, more than 340 people - mostly ailing with cancer - have used it to end their lives.
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My mother died in Spokane, after a nine-year battle with cancer. As a Belgian Resistance member in World War II, she fought the Nazis and was twice imprisoned by the Gestapo.
But she couldn''t vanquish cancer. Her last 8 months were bedridden. Her last three days were spent unconscious, mouth open, bald, dying at home.
She was due more dignity than that. Her Belgian Resistance group saved many downed allied fliers, and provided intelligence to the Allies. She deserved a better, kinder death than what she got.
She should have been allowed to slip away painlessly, while she could still say goodbye.
Instead, she left our family the memory of a cancer-addled proto-corpse, in all its horror, instead of the beautiful, loving, laughing woman she was.
There is no shame or evil in letting the near-dead die a dignified death if they choose. On the contrary, such an act is the height of compassion.
It''s ironic that Christians, who preach compassion and tolerance, deny these very benefits to others.
Christ weeps at what has been wrought in His name.
Posted by wayne081 at 12:13 PM : Nov 07, 2008
My wife is also a physician and she would disagree with you 100 percent of the time. You must be a general pract. Because if you had to deal with it and see her when she has to give the news then you might just sing a different song.
What we must guard against is the RIGHT to die becoming the OBLIGATION to die%u2026as in an indigent patient taking a bed that could be occupied by a paying customer.
Who, in our fragmented, profit-above-all society can be trusted with such awesome responsibility? Certainly not any of the vermin in the Bush administration. They%u2019d pull a Florida-type confusing ballot scam on them and have selected victims unknowingly signing their lives away to maximize profits.
Take it slow, people%u2026take it slow!
What we must guard against is the RIGHT to die becoming the OBLIGATION to die%u2026as in an indigent patient taking a bed that could be occupied by a paying customer.
Who, in our fragmented, profit-above-all society can be trusted with such awesome responsibility? Certainly not any of the vermin in the Bush administration. They%u2019d pull a Florida-type confusing ballot scam on them and have selected victims unknowingly signing their lives away to maximize profits.
Take it slow, people%u2026take it slow!
Liberals must love this!
Who''s suffering do we care about here? Ours or theres?
Christ weeps at what has been wrought in His name."
There is nothing ironic in a Christian respect for life (even when suffering). It is the understanding that suffering is part of life, and that all life has value beyond the values that society espouses (monetary, happiness, freedom, etc.) What is ironic is that you speak for Christ, when you do not understand his teachings. Christ brought Lazarus back to life, but he did not make him immortal or free of pain. Lazarus would suffer more and eventually die again. According to your logic, he should have left him in the tomb.
Posted by mick7744 at 02:19 PM : Nov 07, 2008
You are nothing but a piece of human garbage to bring politics into a subject like this. I can only hope that you meet a long slow death.
Posted by d7767w at 05:29 PM : Nov 07, 2008
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Spoken like a true christian.
Jennifer Hanscom, spokeswoman for the Washington State Medical Association, which opposed the measure
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Hi Jennifer,
Does Cancer hurt?
Just wondering.
More legislated freedom of death.
Liberals must love this!
Posted by SocialismSux
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What a dickweed.
Just wondering.
Posted by mainedoggie at 11:58 PM : Nov 07, 2008
Only if you are alive when you have it.....
Posted by truthislife1 at 06:24 PM : Nov 08, 2008
You are correct. I never recall asking to be called into existence, either.
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Posted by d7767w at 05:29 PM : Nov 07, 2008
Just move to Washington! A long, slow death can be avoided!
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by berniesenn
November 10, 2008 7:58 AM PST
- Assisted suicide is a humanitarian law and a good one but it involves many complications. Life insurance: Will assisted suicide void a policy? Health care: Will health insurance pay for it? Justice: How will the supreme court deal with it? Congress: What will be the guidelines and rules for this? Social: In states where it hasn''t been put into law, will assisted suicide still be a crime? I am for the idea of a humanitarian law that shortens the pain of going through a slow death, but what will the rules be for using it?
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