Colorado: No on assisted suicide proposition 106. It is fatally flawed.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Recently the Denver Post published an editorial urging people to Vote No on Proposition 106 because it lacks proper safeguards.

The NO on Proposition 106 website contains an excellent evaluation of what Colorado voters are being asked to vote YES or No to during the November election. These are some of the fatal flaws that the No on Proposition 106 website explains.

Medical Errors:

National Public Radio’s Morning Edition recently reported on a Johns Hopkins University study that found medical errors are the third-leading cause of death in the US, right after cancer and heart disease. The NPR report later states, “…the study estimates that more than 250,000 Americans die each year from medical errors.”

Yet Prop 106 would give two doctors, any two doctors, the license to say that someone has only six months to live and can commit suicide.

Doctors make mistakes. We all know this. Should we really vote for a policy that could lead to more forever-fatal mistakes?

Be a skeptic – look hard at the facts about Prop 106. Think for yourself.

No Mental Health Exam:

Prop 106 says that to qualify for assisted suicide, one must be of sound mind to make that decision.

Yet, curiously, there is no requirement that any trained psychiatrist or licensed psychologist be in the loop. Instead, just any doctor gets to decide.

Ask yourself, should someone who mainly treats bunions or earaches be allowed to assess the mental health of a seriously ill patient?

There are a lot of bad ideas out there, but this one is really bad. It’s okay to just say NO.

Be a skeptic – think clearly and objectively about Prop 106 and whether it’s the best we can do for Colorado. Think for yourself.

Consult a specialist?

If you were facing a life-threatening disease, you’d want to consult the finest doctor you could see, almost assuredly a specialist. But Proposal 106 does JUST THE OPPOSITE. If you face a potentially life-ending disease, it allows you to choose suicide on the basis of the opinion of any old doctor, even one that has no experience with your disease or illness.

If we are going to allow someone to take their life, shouldn’t we at least be sure that a specialist is consulted, if only to ensure that no error is made in diagnosis or potential treatments.

Be a skeptic – Look closely at Prop 106 and decide whether it’s the best for all. Think for yourself.