Physician-Assisted Suicide: What’s at stake?

Q: Why shouldn’t assisted suicide be legalized? Q: Why are people with disabilities worried A: To sanction the taking of innocent human life about assisted suicide? is to contradict a primary purpose of law in an A: Many people with disabilities have long ex- ordered society. A law allowing assisted suicide perience of prejudicial attitudes on the part of would demean the lives of vulnerable patients able-bodied people, including physicians, who and expose them to exploitation by those who as-sume they would “rather be dead than dis- feel they are better off dead. Such a policy abled.” Such prejudices could easily lead families, would corrupt the medical profession, whose physi-cians and society to encourage death for ethical code calls on physicians to serve life and people who are depressed and emotionally vul- never to kill. The voiceless or marginalized in our nerable as they adjust to life with a serious illness society — the poor, the frail elderly, racial minori- or disability. To speak here of a “free choice” for ties, millions of people who lack health insur- suicide is a dangerously misguided abstraction. ance — would be the first to feel pressure to die. Q: What is the view of the medical profession? Q: What about competent, terminally ill people A: The American Medical Association holds that who say they really want assisted suicide? “physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally A: Suicidal wishes among the terminally ill are no incompatible with the physician’s role as heal- less due to treatable depression than the same er.” The AMA, along with the American Nurses wishes among the able-bodied. When their pain, Association, American Psychiatric Association depression and other problems are addressed, and dozens of other medical groups, urged the there is generally no more talk of suicide. If we Supreme Court in 1997 to uphold laws against respond to a death wish in one group of people assisted suicide, arguing that the power to as- with counseling and suicide prevention, and sist in taking patients’ lives is “a power that most respond to the same wish in another group by health care professionals do not want and could offering them lethal drugs, we have made our not control.” own tragic choice as a society that some peo- ple’s lives are objectively not worth protecting. Q: What does the Catholic Church teach? A: Our moral tradition holds that human life is the Q: How does cost enter into this issue? most basic gift from a loving God — a gift over A: In an era of cost control and managed care, which we have stewardship, not absolute do- patients with lingering illnesses may be branded minion. As responsible stewards of life, we must an economic liability, and decisions to encour- never directly intend to cause our own death or age death can be driven by cost. Former U.S. that of anyone else. Solicitor General Walter Dellinger warned in urg- ing the Supreme Court to uphold laws against The Catholic Conference, the state- assisted suicide: “The least costly treatment for wide public policy and advocacy organization for any illness is lethal medication.” the Catholic Church in Colorado. To learn more about the CCC’s legislative efforts sign up to the Conference’s Legislative Network by visiting their website: www.cocatholicconference.org Four Things You Can Do TO OPPOSE PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE 1. Contact your representative Ask them to oppose House Bill 1054 and Senate Bill 25. If you need help finding your Representative please visit the Colorado Catholic Conference’s website (www.cocatholicconference.org) and click on the “FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR” button.

2. Contact members of the House Judiciary Committee Name District Phone Number Email Address Rep. Daniel Kagan (D) 3 303-866-2921 [email protected] Rep. (D) 18 303-866-2932 [email protected] Rep. Terri Carver (R) 20 303-866-2191 [email protected] Rep. Lois Court (D) 6 303-866-2967 [email protected] Rep. Tim Dore (R) 64 303-866-2398 [email protected] Rep. (D) 12 303-866-2920 [email protected] Rep. Polly Lawrence (R) 39 303-866-2935 [email protected] Rep. (R) 19 303-866-2924 [email protected] Rep. Jovan Melton (D) 41 303-866-2919 [email protected] Rep. Joseph Salazar (D) 31 303-866-2918 [email protected] Rep. Yeulin Willett (R) 54 303-866-2583 [email protected] Contact members of the Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee Name District Phone Number Email Address Sen. Ray Scott (R) 7 303-866-3077 [email protected] Sen. (R) 1 303-866-6360 [email protected] Sen. (R) 10 303-866-2737 [email protected] Sen. Matt Jones (D) 17 303-866-5291 [email protected] Sen. (D) 21 303-866-4857 [email protected] 3. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper Please be aware that there are word limits for these types of letters so it is best to contact the news- paper or look at their website to determine what the parameters of a letter to the editor would be for a specific publication.

4. Talk to your friends and family Please tell your colleagues, family and friends about this legislation and the dangers it poses to all Col- oradans. Encourage them to take action on the issue by contacting their elected officials and asking them to oppose the legislation.

If you have any additional questions or need more information about this legislation or other legislation in Colorado please do not hesitate to contact the Colorado Catholic Conference:

[email protected] • 303-894-8808