Tuesday, March 04, 2008

I-1000 Ballot Title Changed!!!

The old description was: This measure would permit terminally ill, competent, adult Washington residents who are medically predicted to have six months or less to live, voluntarily to request and self-administer lethal medication prescribed by a physician.

The new description is: This measure would permit terminally ill, competent, adult Washington residents who are medically predicted to have six months or less to live, to request and self-administer lethal medication prescribed by a physician.

The word "voluntarily" has been removed from the original description. "The description that came from the attorney general's office would have misled voters into thinking that the so-called safeguards mentioned in the proposal actually offered any protection. In fact, the law allows persons who are depressed to receive assistance in committing suicide, without notification of next of kin or evaluation by a mental health professional," said Shane Macaulay, a medical doctor who is also a member of the coalition.

Here is the rest of the article from the Coalition Against Assisted Suicide explaining the title change.