Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law

<bgsound src='lawbit-oregon-assisted-suicide.mp3' loop=1 controls='smallconsole'>

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT

This is Robert Scirocco bringing you today's Law Bit.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral argument on Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law. That law allows medical doctors to hasten the death of a terminally ill patient, who so requests, by prescribing lethal doses of certain types of drugs. Over 200 individuals have taken advantage of the assisted suicide law since it was enacted in 1997 in Oregon. Oregon argued before the Supreme Court that it is the State, and not the federal government, that has the right to regulate the practice of medicine. The federal government insists that using drugs to help an individual kill himself is not a legitimate medical purpose, and that because drugs are regulated by the federal government, and not the States, such use can be outlawed. A ruling by the Supreme Court is expected in the Spring (2006).

This is Robert Scirocco, Attorney at Law, Budd Lake, New Jersey, bringing you today's Law Bit.

END TRANSCRIPT