Aid-in-dying initiative appears headed for ballot

The fiery campaign over the aid-in-dying initiative began in earnest Wednesday as supporters said they turned in about 310,000 signatures -- likely enough to get the measure on the November ballot.

While the Washington Secretary of State is still counting and verifying signatures submitted by proponents of Initiative 1000, the campaign has about 85,000 signatures over the required minimum of 225,000.

"That's a healthy cushion of signatures," said Anne Martens, communications director for the campaign. "I'm absolutely confident we're going to make the ballot."

Earlier in the day, in a move that was expected, the Washington State Medical Association opposed the initiative, saying it would give doctors power they don't want.

The proposed initiative would allow doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of barbiturates or other drugs to patients over the age of 17 who have a life expectancy of six months or less. While supporters call it "aid in dying," opponents use the phrase "physician-assisted suicide."

Voters rejected a similar initiative in 1991. The medical society also opposed that measure.

Supporters have a high-profile voice on their side this time in former Gov. Booth Gardner, who suffers from Parkinson's disease. In February, Gardner, a popular two-term Democrat, announced he would lead a campaign for an assisted-death ballot measure. The U.S. Supreme Court had just upheld Oregon's law allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal medi-cation administered by a patient.

Gardner told The Seattle Times in February that when he can no longer function and stay active, "I want to be able to control my exit."

So far, supporters of the initiative have raised about $1.1 million. Opponents have raised about $88,000. The Coalition Against Assisted Suicide said most of the pro I-1000 money is from out of state.

"To all the people in California and New York who sent money so we in Washington can more easily kill ourselves, I think we have to say 'thanks, but no thanks,'" said Duane French, head of a disabilities rights group called Not Dead Yet -- Washington. French is a quadriplegic.

Dr. Patricia O'Halloran, a physician who spoke at the anti-initiative news conference Wednesday in Olympia, said legal assisted suicide could discriminate against the poor and vulnerable.

"We're concerned that an option to die by assisted suicide will, for some folks, come to be perceived as a duty to die," O'Halloran said.

But supporters of I-1000, who prefer the term "death with dignity," argue that the measure is about autonomy and individual freedom.

Yakima nurse Judy Enriquez said she helped gather signatures for the initiative because she's seen the wishes of too many terminal and frail elderly patients ignored.

"I feel very strongly that people should be allowed to control the end of their lives," Enriquez said in a recent interview.

The "Yes! on I-1000" campaign said data from the state of Oregon shows that residents there who used the law were mentally competent and terminally ill. In 2006, 45 of 65 Oregon residents who applied for lethal prescriptions used them.

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