Suicide is legal, involving others is not

The Monday letter, "Decisions belong to individuals," is misinformed when it defends I-1000 on the basis of individual autonomy. I-1000 does not give the writer any more rights than she already has. Suicide is not illegal in Washington state. She wants suicide to be sanitized with the cooperation of her physician. But when she involves another person in her suicide, she goes beyond the simple issue of privacy.

I-1000 does not give individuals any protections they don't already have. It is all about protecting doctors, not patients. Read the initiative section 19 carefully. Doctors who prescribe "in good faith" are protected from having to answer to their peers for substandard care. Section 15 shows that Oregon's secrecy barrier and lack of government oversight are likely to be imported to us. Lack of oversight is an invitation to provide poor quality care. With pressure from greedy heirs, cost-cutting health insurance companies and bonus-seeking doctors, the sick and elderly will likely have little choice of their own as to when to end their lives.

Please take the time to study both sides of the issue before voting. The Web site noassistedsuicide.com has a lot of good material. The Michigan Law Review article at the end of the "More Resources" section is must reading for every voter.

I. Eric Rommen, M.D.
Snohomish