I am an attorney in Washington state, where assisted suicide is legal. I am also president of Choice is an Illusion, a nonprofit corporation opposed to assisted suicide. Contrary to Alex Yahanda's article, "The grateful dead" (Oct. 13), assisted suicide is only legal in two states: Oregon and Washington. He also leaves off its multiple problems such as elder abuse.
Last March, I did a legal analysis of two assisted suicide bills that were pending in the Vermont legislature. I had previously analyzed two similar bills introduced in 2009. None of these bills assured patient choice.
To view my most recent analysis, go to http://www.choiceillusionvermont.org/p/2011-bills.html. To view my prior analysis, see "Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Recipe for Elder Abuse and the Illusion of Personal Choice," in the Winter 2011 edition of the Vermont Bar Journal, which is available at http://www.vtbar.org/Images/Journal/journalarticles/winter2011/PhysicianAssistedSuicide.pdf.
Margaret Dore\nPresident, Choice is an Illusion
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