Constitutional Law

Death-With-Dignity Act Wins Approval in Wash. State

Voters have approved a Washington State assisted dying ballot initiative. The death-with-dignity ballot measure, called Initiative 1000, was leading in most of the state’s counties late on Election Day, The Seattle Times reported. Former Washington Gov. Booth Gardner, a major supporter of the measure, told the newspaper that he was “elated” by the outcome. The measure is modeled after Oregon’s law and will permit the terminally ill to seek medical help in dying.  In an ACS Issue Brief, Kathryn L. Tucker, legal affairs director of Compassion & Choices and an affiliate law professor at Clark School of Law, analyzed Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act, stating that it had benefited patients. Tucker concluded in Choice at the End of Life that more states should follow Oregon’s lead and enact laws enabling terminally ill patients to seek medical assistance in dying.

Full post as published by ACS Blog on November 07, 2008 (boomark / email).