"Choice" Is An Illusion: Oregon Page Updated

The Oregon page has been updated to include an article on the new helium hood bill. To view that article, click here.

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END THE ABUSE

Bait and Switch

In 1997, Oregon became the first US state to legalize assisted suicide. In 2008, Washington State enacted a similar law.

Both laws were passed by ballot measures in which voters were promised that only people with less than six months to live would be allowed to "self-administer" a lethal dose.

Once passed, however, the laws were applied to people with years to live. This is because the six months to live is determined without treatment.

Consider, for example, Jeanette Hall, who was talked out of assisted suicide in Oregon. Her doctor convinced her to be treated for cancer instead of taking a lethal dose. Today, 18 years later, she is thrilled to be alive.

As for self-administration, Oregon's law doesn't even use the term. Do a word search, it's not there.

In Washington State, the term is used, but specially defined to allow someone else to administer the lethal dose to the patient, which is euthanasia as traditionally defined.

The Oregon & Washington laws are a bait and switch.

Why Choice is an Illusion?

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Oregon Page Updated