Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Vermont Group working to repeal Assisted Suicide Act.

By Alex Schadenberg

The Vermont Alliance for Ethical Healthcare have launched a TV advertising campaign in a first step to repealing the Vermont Assisted Suicide Act that was signed into law on May 20. True Dignity Vermont is also supporting the campaign.

Link to the TV Ad.

An article in the Burlington Free Press quotes Edward Mahoney, the President of the Vermont Alliance as stating:
“Our goal is to raise awareness about the legislation,” “Our Legislature just passed a bad law. Repeal this bad law.”
The Vermont Assisted Suicide bill (S-77) failed to pass in the Senate. Governor Peter Shumlin, a long-time assisted suicide promoter and who had received campaign donations from the assisted suicide lobby, had promised to legalize assisted suicide, and therefore pushed a second-time to get S-77 through the Senate.

A last minute compromise gained Shumlin the needed votes leading to S-77 passing by a vote of 17 to 15 in the Senate.

Edward Mahoney
The Burlington Free Press article stated:
Mahoney calls the law “legislative malpractice” and notes numerous flaws, including that while the law requires a patient to be able to self-administer the medication when the prescription is written, there is nothing to ensure the patient is still able to do so when he or she takes it.
Washington State attorney, Margaret Dore called Vermont Bill S-77 irresponsible while I referred to S-77 as the worst assisted suicide bill ever.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition encourages the Vermont Alliance for Ethical Healthcare to continue their campaign to Repeal the Bill. The legalization of assisted suicide threatens the lives of people at the most vulnerable time of their life. S-77 is the worst form of assisted suicide legislation in America.

Important links.
Link to the TV Ad
- Vermont Assisted Suicide Law - Legislative Malpractice.
- True Dignity Vermont establishes watchdog helpline.

1 comment:

colleen10001 said...

Thanks for all Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Does

“Once assisted suicide is legalized, it becomes impossible to contain. Once assisted suicide is legalized, it becomes impossible to protect the vulnerable and mentally ill. Once assisted suicide is legalized, it becomes, essentially, death on demand.”

"Physician-assisted suicide involves a physician prescribing lethal drugs for a patient with the knowledge that the patient intends to use the drugs to commit suicide. Refusing a ventilator, or some other life sustaining machine or treatment is not assisted suicide and is legal. The intent of refusing medical treatment is not to end life, but to allow nature to take its course. With physician-assisted suicide the intent is to kill the patient."

NRLC.org has some great information on "What we have learned from Oregon"