Massachusetts May Soon Change How the Nation Dies

Hugh Pickens writes "Lewis M. Cohen reports that this Election Day, Massachusetts is poised to approve the Death With Dignity Act, a modernized, sanitized, politically palatable term that replaces the now-antiquated expression 'physician-assisted suicide.' Oregon's Death With Dignity Act has been in effect for the past 14 years, and the state of Washington followed suit with a similar law in 2008. But the Massachusetts ballot question has the potential to turn death with dignity from a legislative experiment into the new national norm, because the state is the home of America's leading medical publication (the New England Journal of Medicine), hospital (Massachusetts General), and four medical schools (Harvard, Boston University, University of Massachusetts, and Tufts). If the act passes in Massachusetts, other states that have previously had unsuccessful campaigns will certainly be emboldened to revisit this subject. The initiative would allow terminally ill patients with six months or less to live to request from their doctor a prescription for a lethal dose of a drug. Doctors do not have to offer the option at all, and patients must make three requests, two verbal and one written. They must self-administer the drug, which would be ingested. The patients must be deemed capable of making an informed decision. 'It's all about choice,' says George Eighmey, a key player in instituting the Oregon law, defending it against repeal and shepherding it into reality. 'You decide. No one else can decide for you. No can can force you into it, coerce you into it or even suggest it to you unless you make a statement: "I don't want to live like this any more" or "I'm interested in that law out there, doctor, can you give me something to alleviate this pain and suffering."'"

Comments

Lot more dignity than a self-inflicted gunshot

[crazyjj]

At least this will allow someone to go with their family around (and without the mess).

Of course, doctors have been doing this sort of thing "off the books" forever. When I was a kid and a certain person I knew was dying, his doctor gave him a orders not to let his nurse inject him with this particular syringe of morphine (wink, wink).

Re:Lot more dignity than a self-inflicted gunshot

[h4rr4r]

One of my greatest regrets is not noticing when a doctor did this. They left the morphine drip machine unlocked and showed us how we must not turn it up. I was only 14, but I really wish I would have realized what they were trying to tell us at the time.

Terry Pratchett documentary: "Choosing to Die"

[TehCable]

I highly recommend Terry Pratchett's 2011 documentary "Choosing to Die." You may watch the full film on youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slZnfC-V1SY I found the documentary extremely informative and moving.

Re:Question:

[Artraze]

> Is it really that difficult to acquire a lethal dose of a drug without doctor assistance?

Yes.
To elaborate: It's difficult to acquire a lethal dose of a drug that is easy to administer and will result in guaranteed, peaceful death without little to no chance of (partial) survival. Sure you can drink bleach or try to OD on alcohol or acetaminophen/paracetamol or any number of things. But they can be quite unpleasant and/or leave you alive but even worse off.

> Or is this aiming to legally protect doctors who are assisting patients?

Less so, I'd wager. Realistically, people rarely ask questions if someone suffering and wishing to die dies in their sleep. Doctor: "They died in their sleep last night". Family: "Ah, well their suffering is over at least". Pretty much never: "I bet you turned their morphine up you bastard!". Of course, that really requires the patient to be literally on their death bed, but either way I think the point of this is entirely a way to reduce suffering of the terminally ill and not really about doctor liability.

Off topic, sort of...

[NotQuiteReal]

Shouldn't the availability of such "end-of-life" drugs settle the "cruel and unusual" question in death penalty states? I mean if something like Propofol is so pleasant that it is the target of abuse, it should be perfectly fine for a pleasant, relaxing send off when a death row prisoner's time has come.

Bringing it back to "death with dignity", noone will force it, or even suggest it, but LWOP prisoners should also be offered the same option...

(lol - spell check on Propofol offers "Foolproof")