What's Wrong with the Proposed Assisted Suicide Law?
Any law that allows doctors to terminate the lives of their patients is unwise and runs counter to thousands of years of civilization. But this proposed law is especially flawed, without the safeguards or monitoring to protect patients.
What would the proposed initiative do?
Assisted suicide would be legal if the initiative passes allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of drugs to "terminal" patients so they can use it to kill themselves.
Aren't there "safeguards?"
There are no real safeguards. Next of kin do not have to be notified. Depressed or mentally ill patients can still receive the lethal prescriptions. All reporting is done on the "honor system" with the records sealed from public view. There are no penalties for doctors who fail to report their activities.
What is the view of those who deal most closely with the dying?
The Washington State Medical Association (the state affiliate of the AMA), the Washington Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Washington State Hospital Association do not support assisted suicide.
Why are you opposed to the measure?
Any law that allows doctors to terminate the lives of their patients is unwise and runs counter to thousands of years of civilization. But this proposed law is especially flawed, without safeguards or monitoring to protect patients.
We are a broad coalition that includes doctors and nurses, disability rights advocates and organizations, hospice workers, and minorities. Our members have various reasons for opposing assisted suicide.
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Here's more information and these fact sheets ready to print and use:
Problems with Oregon's Law
The sponsors say Washington's law would be modeled after Oregon's law. But Oregon's law has many problems.
The Netherlands Experiment
In the Netherlands, assisted suicide has been tolerated for decades with results that are shocking to most Americans. Here's a closer look at the Netherlands.
