Assisted suicide law: Now for the rules
February 9, 2009
by John Iwasaki
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Longtime patients are familiar with filling out forms from physicians and health insurers, but not like this one.
Called a "Request for Medication to End My Life in a Humane and Dignified Manner," the proposed form would be used by terminally ill Washington residents to initiate a specified process that would lead to their deaths.
"I understand the full import of this request and I expect to die when I take the medication to be prescribed," the form states. "I further understand that although most deaths occur within three hours, my death may take longer and my physician has counseled me about this possibility."
On March 5, Washington will become the second state after Oregon to allow physicians to legally prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients given six months or less to live. The patients must voluntarily ask for the drug and self-administer it.
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I totally understand people wanting this but I just don't know how I feel about making it legal. What are you guys' thoughts?
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