# Is there a law allowing the Right to die? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566 "2009-06-03T12:46:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clu-Me-In](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/1 "2009-06-03T12:46:33Z")
Is there a law in the United States that grants a citizen the right to take their own life and in so doing give them the ability to get proffessional help in choosing the least painful and most effective way to go about doing it? Ref: > **[Video News - CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/videos)** > > Watch breaking news videos, viral videos and original video clips on CNN.com. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/2 "2009-06-03T13:22:52Z")
If I recall correctly, Oregon passed a law similar to this, but it has been blocked in the courts until recently. I think I heard that the first assisted suicide under this law took place a few weeks ago. As far as I know, no other state has such a law. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/3 "2009-06-03T13:23:49Z")
[Washington does](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/23/us/23suicide.html). ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/4 "2009-06-03T13:29:27Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > If I recall correctly, Oregon passed a law similar to this, but it has been blocked in the courts until recently. I think I heard that the first assisted suicide under this law took place a few weeks ago. > > As far as I know, no other state has such a law. Some stats: [http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth\_us1d.htm](http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth_us1d.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/5 "2009-06-03T13:53:32Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Some stats: > > [http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth\_us1d.htm](http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth_us1d.htm) Interesting reading. In an example of VERY unfortunate ad placement, however, when I first went to this page I got a bright banner add shouting “It’s Easy And Fun!”. :eek: (it turns out to be a scrolling thing, the first line of “it’s easy and fun… to help your kids…learn letters and words”, from PBS Kids, but YEESH!!!). ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/6 "2009-06-03T13:57:38Z")
Digging around in **Kalhoun** ’s cite yielded [this](http://www.religioustolerance.org/euthanas.htm), > [@](#): > > Throughout North America, committing suicide or attempting to commit suicide is no longer a criminal offense. However, helping another person commit suicide is a criminal act. Two exceptions are the states of:[ul][li]Oregon which, since 1997, has allowed people who are terminally ill and in intractable pain to obtain a lethal prescription from their physician and end their chronic suffering. This is called “Physician Assisted Suicide” or PAS.[/li][li]Washington whose voters passed Initiative 1000 in 2008-NOV. Supporters call it a “Death with Dignity bill;” opponents call it an “Assisted Suicide” measure.[/li][/ul]There have been four failed ballot initiatives between 1991 and 2000:[ul][li]1991: Washington state: defeated narrowly 54% to 46%[/li][li]1992: California: Defeated narrowly 54% to 46%[/li][li]1998: Michigan: Defeated overwhelmingly 71% to 29%[/li][li]2000: Maine: Defeated very narrowly 51% to 49%.[/li][/ul]Between 1994 and 2006, there were 75 legislative bills to legalize PAS in 21 states. All failed. > > Attention is currently focused on a bill in the California legislature. More [here](http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth_us.htm). CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/7 "2009-06-03T16:08:38Z")
The Right don’t need a law for it. They just up and die. It’s the same for the Left. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/8 "2009-06-03T17:52:00Z")
There is not a federal law for it, but in practice, the use of progressively higher doses of palliative pain meds, at least in things like advanced cancer, have the effect of euthanasia. If you’ve got something else, move to Washington State, or overseas. I’ve wondered what would happen if someone started a Last Cruise business, where you could book a room, cruise offshore into international waters, then do the deed. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/9 "2009-06-03T17:57:38Z")
> [@cerberus](#): > > There is not a federal law for it, but in practice, the use of progressively higher doses of palliative pain meds, at least in things like advanced cancer, have the effect of euthanasia. > > If you’ve got something else, move to Washington State, or overseas. > > I’ve wondered what would happen if someone started a Last Cruise business, where you could book a room, cruise offshore into international waters, then do the deed. You’re not far off the mark. Google “suicide tourism” some time. [http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/16/swiss-suicide-tourism/](http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/16/swiss-suicide-tourism/) ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/10 "2009-06-03T17:58:03Z")
> [@cerberus](#): > > I’ve wondered what would happen if someone started a Last Cruise business, where you could book a room, cruise offshore into international waters, then do the deed. WAG: At a minimum, you’d have to register the vessel in a country that allows PAS. And you _probably_ wouldn’t be able to sail it out of any US port. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/11 "2009-06-03T18:18:19Z")
> [@cerberus](#): > > There is not a federal law for it, but in practice, the use of progressively higher doses of palliative pain meds, at least in things like advanced cancer, have the effect of euthanasia. > > If you’ve got something else, move to Washington State, or overseas. > > I’ve wondered what would happen if someone started a Last Cruise business, where you could book a room, cruise offshore into international waters, then do the deed. At first glance I thought you said “do the dead” and I let out an audible ‘eeeeew.’ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/12 "2009-06-03T19:09:32Z")
> [@](#): > > There is not a federal law for it, but in practice, the use of progressively higher doses of palliative pain meds, at least in things like advanced cancer, have the effect of euthanasia. Not quite the same, though: With progressively higher doses of pain meds, the goal is relief from pain, with the risk of death considered an unfortunate side effect. With euthanasia, death is itself the goal. As I understand it, the former is actually allowable under Catholic doctrine, for instance (though of course it’s not a decision to be taken lightly), while the latter is not. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/13 "2009-06-04T07:14:22Z")
> [@](#): > > In an example of VERY unfortunate ad placement, however, when I first went to this page I got a bright banner add shouting “It’s Easy And Fun!”. > > (it turns out to be a scrolling thing, the first line of “it’s easy and fun… to help your kids…learn letters and words”, from PBS Kids, but YEESH!!!). BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I can almost see it…an ad for a death camp featuring teenage blondes…" You got the blues? No life? End of the road? Kill yourself. It’s easy and fun!" Re: the law…I could have sworn that it was common “off label” practice to gradually increase the dose of pain meds…b/c the dividing line between painkiller dose and death causing dose can be very tiny. I think that the law is a good option for those people who are still alive but in incredible pain… It should be reserved for the worst off cases… It should not be used lightly at ALL. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-law-allowing-the-right-to-die/498566/14 "2009-06-04T08:35:09Z")
Oregon produces an annual report about how many avail themselves of their PAS rights. You can find all the reports online at [The Oregon Dept of Human Services site](http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/). So far, 401 people have done so over 11 years (1998-2008 inclusive). Since Oregon has some 3 million people, it’s not like everyone’s offing themselves left and right. Washington’s law is closely modeled on Oregon’s but if they produce reports, the first won’t be coming out until next year. They just started doing it this year, as you can see from **friedo** ’s link above. I should also note that the laws in both states make the PAS applicant jump through several hoops in order to get the prescription. I understand that some people jump through the hoops, get their prescription, and then never actually take it. They just like to have the option available.