Posted on 03/19/2011 10:41:52 AM PDT by RnMomof7
WASHINGTON (BP)--Washington state reported 51 deaths from physician-assisted suicide in 2010, its first full year after legalizing the practice.
In 2009, at least 36 deaths by means of assisted suicide were reported, but those occurred in less than 10 months.
The Washington Department of Health reported March 10 that 87 prescriptions were written in 2010 for a lethal dose of drugs to be used in assisted suicides. The deaths of 72 recipients of the prescriptions were reported, but 21 of the recipients passed away without using the drugs.
The two leading concerns expressed by those receiving the fatal prescriptions were a loss of autonomy, 90 percent, and a declining ability to take part in activities that make life enjoyable, 87 percent.
Margaret Dore, a Seattle lawyer who specializes in elder care, said the law legalizing assisted suicide is "a recipe for abuse."
"Washingtons report, which does not even address whether administration of the lethal dose was voluntary, does nothing to alleviate this concern," Dore wrote in a LifeNews.com analysis. "The information provided is inherently unreliable."
Two others states -- Oregon and Montana -- have legalized assisted suicide. Oregon reported a record 65 deaths by assisted suicide in 2010. It has recorded 525 such deaths since the practice was legalized in 1997. Montana has not released a report for 2010, its first year after legalization.
Meanwhile, the Idaho Senate approved legislation March 11 making clear that assisted suicide is against the law, The Idaho Statesman reported. Senators voted 31-2 for the bill. The House of Representatives has yet to act on the proposal.
(Excerpt) Read more at bpnews.net ...
ping
In related news, Washington state reports 51 more murders from assisted-suicide in 2010 .....
Now Washington State government is a member of the MOD - Merchants Of Death.
I thought this was a story about illegal aliens run amok.
Bravo.
For Hitlers Euthansia policies:
http://janestclair.net/articles/hitler-the-nazis-and-assisted-suicide/
Interestingly, the Nazi Doctors Trials of Nuremberg sentenced Nazi’s to DEATH for doing EXACTLY the same thing these Doctors are practicing.
Now there’s something the liberals can really be proud of. They started out by killing babies and now they’re going after the elderly. I guess it’s a liberal “intellectual” thing. They are smarter than us don’t you know.
As a former GOP committee captain in the State of Washington I support the ability of individuals to freely choose their end of life decisions. My life and body belong to me and my God. The State, church, courts, and meddlers have no say as to how I chose to leave this earth. My body, my say.
Torture yourself and stop meddling in the end of life decision of others. Quit making others live in pain/suffering and jump through endless hoops to die. Death is a natural process. Butt out.
There is no such thing as “assisted suicide”, if it is assisted its not a suicide.
Assisted Bank Robbery? Assisted Murder? Assisted Rape? Assisted whatever
If death is a natural process then let us not bastardize the medical community and make them into killers.
“Washington state reported 51 deaths from physician-assisted suicide in 2010”
And 51 is the reported number...
I have seen people die who were under doctors care in hospitals who were given drugs to make them unconscious. Why? I guess because the doctors didn’t want to give them the needed amounts of pain killers to allow them to tolerate the pain they were feeling. It wouldn’t look very good for a patient to be screaming in pain and disturbing all the other patients, would it?
What’s the difference in this and assisted suicide? From where I sit it appears that in one case the doctors are scared to give the patient the required amount of pain killer to remain awake and function as best they could. Why? Worried an autopsy might result in criminal charges? Assisted suicide allows the patient to determine when they have had enough pain, not the doctor.
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You can kill yourself in many ways without involving lethal Rx from the medical system. Get drunk and pass out while running your car in the garage comes to mind as a way to do it painlessly.
The freedom of choice you point out is at risk when the medical system gets involved, especially with government control of health care.
Just wait until there is no choice and they tell you that you should just die...
If it is a free choice, not one made under the pressure from family and future heirs
I agree with you and I would add not as a result of professional counseling.
It’s good to see that some places recognize individual rights.
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