Washington State Law Allows Assisted Suicide

On Thursday, a new law will go into effect in Washington state. It will allow terminally ill patients, with less than six months left to live the right to ask their doctors for lethal medication. This highly controversial change will now become a debate between doctors and patients.

Doctors are not required, by law, to write the prescriptions. Several hospitals, in fact, are making it against their policies, so that the doctors who work there are not allowed to prescribe the medications.

In order to receive the prescription, the patient must be at least 18 years old, declared competent and a resident of the state of Washington. He or she has to make two oral requests, 15 days apart, and then must submit a written request, which must be witnessed by two people. One of the two witnesses must not be a relative, heir, doctor or connected to the health facility where the patient lives. Also, two different doctors must certify that the patient is terminally ill and has less than six months to live.

For more information about this new legislation, and assisted suicide laws in your own state, talk with a local lawyer today!