Governing.com reports on an initiative on Colorado's general election ballot that would legalize physician-assisted suicide. Polling in the state indicates 70 percent support the effort, while 22 percent oppose and 8 percent are undecided. In the state legislature, Democrats generally support the effort while Republicans oppose it.
The decades-old "pro-choice" movement appears to be evolving into an organization that not only embraces premeditated death for unborn children, but physician-assisted, self-inflicted death for those who seek it for themselves.
"My life. My decision." How effective they are in conveying that message will be tested on November 8th in Colorado.
“I understand the pain and the suffering families endure, and I know it takes a lot of money to keep these people alive," Republican state Senator Larry Crowder told Governing.com, "but I think we should be focused on ways we can improve the lives of those terminally ill."
Other critics argue that if physician-assisted suicide is legalized, then pharmaceutical companies will incentivize the lethal drug over the medications it would take to keep the patient alive. Prop. 106 would actually prohibit that by criminalizing providers for trying to coerce patients to request the lethal drug.
That hasn't alleviated critics' concerns.
So out of fear of big pharma pushing deadly drugs, and the ballot measure's lack of a requirement for providers to report prescriptions, the state’s two biggest newspapers urged voters to reject the proposition.
But with positive polling and the governor's support, the measure might pass anyway.
"It’s not about suicide," said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. "These people are going to die anyway. They’re terminally ill… I think they should have that right to have medical advice, medical supervision, be able to make sure they have the final say themselves."
More at Governing .com
