Personal & States Rights Violated
Wayne Johnson
cadaobh2@brgnet.com
Wed, 7 Nov 2001 08:24:31 -0500
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>From the Washington Post:
"Attorney General John D. Ashcroft effectively blocked Oregon's landmark
assisted-suicide law yesterday, authorizing federal drug agents to identify
and
punish doctors who prescribe federally controlled drugs to help terminally
ill patients die.
In a memorandum to Drug Enforcement Administration chief Asa Hutchinson,
Ashcroft wrote that assisting in a suicide is not a "legitimate medical
purpose" under federal law. He said DEA agents should seek to revoke the
drug licenses of Oregon physicians who help patients commit suicide.
The opinion reverses a 1998 administrative decision by former attorney
general Janet Reno and effectively bars Oregon physicians from legally
prescribing narcotics to help patients commit suicide under the state's
Death With Dignity Act, according to Oregon officials and medical experts.
All 70
people known to have died under the law took federally controlled drugs such
as the barbiturate secobarbitol, state officials said."
This is as "mean spirited" as it is possible to get.
First, Oregon voters TWICE agreed that this was what they wanted in their
state. That Ashcroft & Co. want to prosecute doctors who are exercising
both the spirit and the letter of their oath is an astonishing breach of the
Federal contract. Their only claim is that the drugs used are on a DEA
"list". So, if a doctor leaves a .38 on the bed, it would be ok? Janet
Reno sensibly passed on this one.
Secondly, it shows again the incredible lack of sensitivity and caring many
so-called "Christians" possess when it comes to the elderly and dying. To
say that a person was going to "become a drug addict" when they are in the
final stages of cancer is ludicrous beyond imagination. To deny them
medication to end their suffering, even that which kills them, is an affront
to any moral standard. To deny doctor's the right to treat their patients
is an unconscionable act of immoral paternalism.
Third, it shows that there is no area in which the government can't intrude
in our private lives. Not only does it (in a very general and broad sense
and covering many different forms of fed/state/local governments)...does
"it" wish to control who or what one marries, what we do with our money, how
one conducts one's sex life, but now it wants to control how and when we may
die. This reduces everyone to nameless digits and certainly contravenes the
sanctity of personal liberty envisioned by those who wrote the Declaration
and the Constitution.
W
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<BODY>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif" size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D450311213-07112001>From the=20
Washington Post:</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif" size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001>"</SPAN>Attorney General John D. Ashcroft =
effectively=20
blocked Oregon's landmark assisted-suicide law yesterday, authorizing =
federal=20
drug agents to identify and<BR>punish doctors who prescribe federally =
controlled=20
drugs to help terminally ill patients die.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif" size=3D2>In a memorandum to Drug =
Enforcement=20
Administration chief Asa Hutchinson, Ashcroft wrote that assisting in a =
suicide=20
is not a "legitimate medical<BR>purpose" under federal law. He said DEA =
agents=20
should seek to revoke the drug licenses of Oregon physicians who help =
patients=20
commit suicide.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2>The opinion reverses a =
1998=20
administrative decision by former attorney general Janet Reno and =
effectively=20
bars Oregon physicians from legally<BR>prescribing narcotics to help =
patients=20
commit suicide under the state's Death With Dignity Act, according to =
Oregon=20
officials and medical experts. All 70<BR>people known to have died under =
the law=20
took federally controlled drugs such as the barbiturate secobarbitol, =
state=20
officials said.<SPAN =
class=3D450311213-07112001>"</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D450311213-07112001>This=20
is as "mean spirited" as it is possible to get. =20
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001>First, Oregon voters TWICE agreed that this =
was what=20
they wanted in their state. That Ashcroft & Co. want to =
prosecute=20
doctors who are exercising both the spirit and the letter of their oath =
is an=20
astonishing breach of the Federal contract. Their only claim is =
that the=20
drugs used are on a DEA "list". So, if a doctor leaves a .38 =
on the=20
bed, it would be ok? Janet Reno sensibly passed on this=20
one.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001>Secondly, it shows again the incredible lack =
of=20
sensitivity and caring many so-called "Christians" possess when it comes =
to the=20
elderly and dying. To say that a person was going to "become a =
drug=20
addict" when they are in the final stages of cancer is ludicrous beyond=20
imagination. To deny them medication to end their suffering, even =
that=20
which kills them, is an affront to any moral standard. To deny =
doctor's=20
the right to treat their patients is an unconscionable act of immoral=20
paternalism.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001>Third, it shows that there is no area in =
which=20
the government can't intrude in our private lives. Not only =
does it=20
(in a very general and broad sense and covering many different forms of=20
fed/state/local governments)...does "it" wish to control who or what one =
marries, what we do with our money, how one conducts one's sex life, but =
now it=20
wants to control how and when we may die. This reduces everyone to =
nameless digits and certainly contravenes the sanctity of personal =
liberty=20
envisioned by those who wrote the Declaration and the =
Constitution. =20
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"MS Sans Serif"><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D450311213-07112001>W</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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