Does the State of Oregon have legalized 'assisted' or 'helped'-'Suicide'? Is there Freedom of Choice??

I believe in freedom of choice in self determination, & ,unless there is a fatal accident, I believe that one should have this option, but only w/terminal illness,cancer, &comatose conditions. No one should be charged with 'Murder', if I wish to have my life terminated and they are willing to help !! The means (in my case, anyway) would be an overdose of a narcotic (morphine), which would first stop the brain's urge to have the body breathe, & stop the heart. Dead brain=dead body. This CHOICE whould be written in 'Advance Directives', & notorized. A terminal state is NOT 'quality of life', nor is a vegetative state, nor is severe mental issues (ie Alzheimer's). One often dies of pneumonia, often has multiple bedsores, is incontinent,& there is a lack of care-due to staffing cut-backs in nursing homes. Hospice is only willing to help if ALL IV lines are stopped,including a line for pain medication! The pt. then ends their life through a lengthy process of starvation and dehydration!

Oregon has legalized "physician-assisted suicide." It is a controlled process and requires both the physician and the patient to go through several steps and meet several criteria before the law protects both parties.

I do believe this site will answer all your questions regarding steps and criteria for participation/protection. http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/p... Report It

Oregon does have legalized assisted suicide. There is a very long process in which someone can do that. Only terminal illnesses are protected by the law. I do not believe that the choice could be put into an advanced directive only because advance directives have to be signed and everything while the patient is still able to make medical decisions. You are right in that hospice will only help with all IV lines stopped and that is a very painful process. I do not think that if you wanted to because of a terminal illness that you could plan for it. There is a kind of freedom of choice but still it takes time and there are only about 40 of them a year that are reported.