SCOTUS Upholds Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law, page 1

posted on Jan, 17 2006 @ 03:56 PM

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The U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Oregon law that allows doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. The decision was a blow to the Bush administration which argued that prescribing prescription drugs in order to cause death was illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Reuters

WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The Bush administration overstepped its authority when it barred doctors from helping terminally ill patients die in the only state that allows physician-assisted suicide, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday.

In a stinging defeat for the administration, the high court ruled by a 6-3 vote that then-Attorney General John Ashcroft wrongly interpreted a federal law in 2001 to bar distribution of controlled drugs to assist suicides, disregarding the Oregon law authorizing it.

"It is difficult to defend the attorney general's declaration that the statute impliedly criminalizes physician-assisted suicide," Justice Anthony Kennedy said for the court majority.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

I think it's a good decision...if someone is terminally ill and wants to end their life with prescription drugs, they should be allowed to do so.

[edit on 1/17/2006 by djohnsto77]

marg6043

posted on Jan, 17 2006 @ 04:43 PM

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Yes I heard in the news, I guess for people terminally ill is not need to keep them in more suffering.

I imagine how sad is having to accept the decisions of a love one.

I encourage everybody to make their last will so problems will not arise in case of a situation.

iori_komei

posted on Jan, 17 2006 @ 04:50 PM

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I'm glad to hear this, albeit it is a bit morbid, I'm all for this being legal, I figure everyone has there own rights, and there life belongs to them, so they therefore should be able to do whatever they want with there life.

CyberKat

posted on Jan, 17 2006 @ 05:15 PM

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Hi,

You got to it before I did. Oh well, it's a great story. It has somewhat restored my faith in the justice system. That the Bush administration really can't just walk all over everyone, imposing Bush's own beliefs upon everyone and abusing existing laws.

Besides, I have always believed that if a person is indeed diagnosed with a terminal condition, that that individual ought to have the option do decide for him or herself whether they want to go through months, possibly years of endless pain, miserable treatments, etc... knowing that they are only going to die from their condidtion in the long run, and being a burden to their family and loved ones in the meantime. Or, others may decide otherwise.

However, IMO the choice should ultimately be theirs, not the Bush Administration's.

Good article

//ed to add://

Originally posted by Marg
I encourage everybody to make their last will so problems will not arise in case of a situation.

I agree with marg on this point, and also would urge others to do the same.

[edit on 1/17/2006 by CyberKat]

WestPoint23

posted on Jan, 17 2006 @ 05:43 PM

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Yes I agree, medical assisted deaths of terminally ill patients should be legal. If someone wants to end their life and suffering instead of enduring a long excruciating death they should be allowed to do so. Now, obviously unless they are medical experts they will need assistance, so doctors should be allowed to help them if they choose to.