Saturday, Sep. 06, 2008

Forum on Washington assisted suicide initiative finds little to agree on

By Chris Mulick, Herald Olympia bureau

As red hot as this year's debate is over assisted suicide, or what Initiative 1000 backers call death with dignity, there is room for common ground.

In a Friday meeting with the Herald editorial board, Yes on I-1000's Linda Olson and the Coalition Against Assisted Suicide's Chris Carlson agreed that taking action to end one's life goes against human nature and that the initiative isn't so much about pain management as it is about control.

From there, they differed greatly.

The measure, modeled after Oregon's death with dignity law, would allow competent, terminally ill patients with fewer than six months to live to request and self-administer a lethal dose of medication.

Olson said it "gives them peace of mind they have control if they choose to end their lives."

"What about letting them choose to do what they choose is right?" she asked.

Carlson, who has Parkinson's disease and was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer but has outlived his six-month prognosis by two years, argues doctors too often arbitrarily estimate life expectancy and make mistakes, causing patients to lose hope.

He said more focus needs to be put on patient comfort and caring "and those end of life things when the families come together. Let the process work itself. Don't try to go for some quick fix."

Carlson, whose father committed suicide when he was 14, said it can scar family members and loved ones in ways that won't heal.

"It always affects survivors in a way the person committing the act never intends to," he said.

"We go to great lengths to prevent people from committing suicide," Carlson argued "It's an unnatural act. We've always tried to prevent it."

On that point Olson doesn't necessarily disagree. That's why "only people who are dying would consider it," she said.

Opponents argue that potential heirs could influence a patient's decision, something supporters counter with provisions in the measure requiring one of two witnesses to the decision to be someone who is not an heir, family member or employee at the facility where they live or are being treated.

The campaign for the measure has reported raising more than $1.8 million. Former Gov. Booth Gardner, the measure's main proponent, has contributed $170,000. It's also drawn more than $480,000 from out-of-state death with dignity groups.

The campaign against the measure has reported raising about $418,000. At least half that has come from interests affiliated with the Catholic Church.