Contact: Greg Eddleston (503) 228.6079 / www.dwd.org

Portland, Oregon --- A new national poll released today by Harris Interactive shows Americans support Oregon’s Death with Dignity law by a two-to-one margin and oppose Attorney General John Ashcroft’s efforts to overturn the law by nearly the same margin.  For information about the Harris Poll contact Harris directly: Nancy Wong (716) 214.7316 or (716) 415.8931.

“Americans want improvements to end-of-life care and they see that Oregon’s Death with Dignity law is the catalyst for change.  Oregon’s law has worked flawlessly for four years and this poll proves people across the country are ready to follow Oregon’s lead,” said Scott Swenson, Executive Director of Oregon Death with Dignity, the lead legal defense and public policy organization defending and promoting Oregon’s law. 

Oregon Death with Dignity is preparing court briefings due January 22nd on behalf of Oregon physician and pharmacist plaintiffs seeking to sustain Oregon’s law in light of this federal intrusion.  Lawyers were successful in convincing the federal court to set the Ashcroft ruling aside, allowing Oregon’s law to remain in effect until the case is decided.  Oral arguments are expected in March and a ruling is expected sometime this spring.

Oregon Death with Dignity operates a nonprofit legal defense and education center and federal and state political action funds all geared toward defending and promoting Oregon’s law and protecting patients and caregivers who seek a dignified end to a terminal illness.

The following is quoted from a release distributed by Harris Interactive:

These are some of the findings of the latest issue of The Harris Poll conducted by Harris Interactive via telephone with a nationwide sample of 1,011 adults between December 14–19, 2001.  The key findings are:

• By 65% to 29%, a substantial majority thinks "the law should allow doctors to comply with the wishes of a dying patient in severe distress who asks to have his or her life ended."  Harris Interactive has asked this question since 1982, when a 53% to 34% majority supported it.  Support peaked, at 73% to 24%, in 1993 and has declined somewhat since then to the current 65% to 29% majority.
  
• A 63% to 32% majority disagrees with the 1997 Supreme Court ruling that individuals do not have a constitutional right to doctor-assisted suicide.  These numbers are virtually identical to replies given in 1997 (65% to 32%).
  
• A 61% to 34% majority (when read a detailed description of it) favors the Oregon proposition that would allow doctor-assisted suicide for patients with six months to live, if all three of the following conditions were met:

a)      The patient requests it three times.

b)      There is a second physician’s opinion.

c)      There is a 15-day waiting period for the patient to change

         his or her mind.

It is worth noting that the 58% to 35% majority that believes that the Attorney General is wrong to oppose this proposition is slightly smaller than the 61% to 34% majority, which favors the Oregon proposition.  This may reflect some sympathy for the Attorney General who has been enjoying positive ratings recently, along with other senior members of the Cabinet who have been visible in fighting the "war on terrorism."

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HARRIS POLL

Contact Nancy Wong (716) 214.7316 or (716) 415.8931.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OREGON DEATH WITH DIGNITY

Contact Greg Eddleston (503) 228.6079.

FOR THE LATEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT OREGON’S LAW VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.DWD.ORG

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