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TIMELINE OF
OREGON'S DEATH
WITH DIGNITY ACT
• November 1994-Oregon
voters pass the act, 51 percent
to 49 percent.
• October 1997 - Death With
Dignity Act takes effect.
• November 1997—Oregon
voters defeat Ballot Measure 51,
an attempt to repeal the act, 60
percent to 40 percent
• 1998-The Oregon
Legislature proposes the Lethal
Drug Abuse Prevention Act,
which would have revoked
prescribing licenses for
physicians who dispense drugs
to hasten death. The act is later
pulled from debate.
• November 2001 - U.S.
Attorney General John Ashcroft
issues an edict ordering the
Drug Enforcement Agency
agents to investigate physicians
who prescribe lethal
medications.
• April 2002 - U.S. District
Judge Robert Jones issues an
injunction on Ashcroft’s
directive.
• May 2004 — 9th Circuit Court
issues ruling against the
directive.
• Prescriptions for lethal doses
of medication written statewide:
2003-67
2002- 58
2001- 44
2000- 39
1999- 33
1998- 24
• Terminal patients who died
via physician assisted suicide:
2003- 42
2002- 38
2001- 21
2000- 27
1999- 27
1998-16
SOURCE: Oregon Department of Human
Services
LAW
continued from page 1
"It's a very strong ruling and a clear
rebuke of Attorney General John
Ashcroft's attempt to overturn the will
of Oregon voters," he said.
He said the decision will help legit
imize assisted suicide in other areas.
"This decision, coupled with the ex
cellent data from Oregon, means that
I think we're closer to having a second
state (allow assisted suicide) than
we've ever been," he said. "This is
clearly an example where the people
are ahead of the politicians."
Swenson said the court battle for
assisted suicide is not finished, al
though he is confident his cause
"will prevail."
"We fully suspect they will appeal,"
he said.
1 le also said Congress may step in
at any time to decide the issue.
"What's most important, especially
for Oregonians to understand, is that
this fight isn't over," he said. "We want
Oregonians to be ever-vigilant."
Dr. Glenn Gordon of Eugene, a
semi-retired general surgeon who has
practiced for nearly 50 years, said as
sisted suicide has been "very success
ful." Gordon said he has witnessed
many patients die of illnesses without
the ability to end their own lives.
"I know that many of those pa
tients would have liked to have this
option," he said. "It became apparent
to me that this was something that
was desirable."
Gordon said the ruling will be a re
lief to physicians. He also said the rul
ing may help clear the way for assist
ed suicide in other states.
"We all feel better knowing that the
will of the people has been recog
nized, " he said. "Mr. Ashcroft is trying
to impose his own moral code on the
rest of the country."
Kevin Neely, a spokesman for My
ers, said the ruling will allow doctors
to participate in assisted suicide
without worrying about breaking
federal law.
"The most fundamental aspect of
the ruling is that it permits physicians
and pharmacists to prescribe life-end
ing medication without fear of retri
bution from the federal government,"
he said.
Neely said the chances of an appeal
by the Justice Department are "prob
ably even-money."
"If they choose to appeal this, we'll
continue to vigorously defend Ore
gon's law," he said.
He emphasized that the signifi
cance of the decision extends beyond
assisted suicide.
"This issue is bigger than physician
assisted suicide," he said. 'This victory
sends a signal to the federal govern
ment that (regulating medical prac
tice) has been, is and will be the re
sponsibility of individual states."
However, some people have ex
pressed opposition to assisted suicide.
Father Reginald Martin, associate
pastor at the St. Thomas More New
man Center near the University, said
he opposes assisted suicide.
"1 think it's appalling," he said. "This
is completely antithetical to everything
doctors are supposed to do."
Martin said a federal law should
prohibit assisted suicide, although he
feels the idea of assisted suicide itself
should not even be an issue.
'The whole notion just strikes me as
nothing short of inhuman," he said.
Contact the city/state politics reporter
at parkerhowell@dailyemerald.com.
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