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U.S. Historical Perspective and Current Trends Alaska California California Death With Dignity Act Florida Hawaii Maine Michigan Proposal B - Michigan's Ballot Initiative on Assisted Suicide New Hampshire New Hampshire Aid-in-Dying Act New York Oregon 1st Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (1998) 2nd Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (1999) 3rd Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (2000) 4th Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (2001) 5th Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (2002) Eighth Annual Report on Assisted Suicide in Oregon. Executive Summary of the 5th Annual Report on Oregon's Death With Dignity Act (2002) How Do Oregon Psychologists View Their Role in Physician-Assisted Suicide? Measure 16 - Oregon Death With Dignity Act Oregon's Assisted Suicide Experience: Safeguards Don't Work Physician-Assisted Suicide: Reflections on Oregon's First Case The Oregon Report: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Vermont Washington |
Background of PAS in Oregon In November 1994, the voters of Oregon passed an initiative measure that allowed terminally ill patients to request a prescription of lethal drugs from a physician by which they could commit suicide. With the passage of this measure ("Measure 16"), Oregon became the first jurisdiction in the world to legalize physician-assisted suicide.The measure was quickly challenged in court, and in August 1995, declared unconstitutional based upon the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The judge's opinion stated that Measure 16 created a classification of people (terminally ill, diagnosed with less than 6 months to live) who were treated differently by no longer qualifying for protection against suicidal impulses as do the rest of Oregon citizens. His decision asked, "Where in the Constitution do we find distinctions between the terminally ill with six months to live, the terminally ill with one year to live, paraplegics, the disabled, or any category of people who have their own reasons for not wanting to continue living?" The district court's decision was appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which dismissed the case in February 1997. The appellate court's ruling was based, not on the merits of the case, but on a decision that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge Measure 16. The case was then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The 1997 Oregon legislature returned Measure 16 back to the November 1997 ballot for reconsideration and repeal. This measure was called "Measure 51". The repeal effort lost. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case. Physician-assisted suicide then became legal in Oregon in November 1997. Posted on June 26, 2004. |