Terminal Cancer Patient Becomes First Assisted Suicide Under New Washington State Law

The Associated Press reports:

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A 66-year-old woman with terminal cancer has become the first person to die under Washington state’s new assisted suicide law, an advocacy group said Friday. Linda Fleming, of Sequim, died Thursday night after taking drugs prescribed under the “Death with Dignity” law that took effect in March, said Compassion & Choices of Washington.

The organization said Fleming was diagnosed last month with advanced pancreatic cancer. She would have had to have been diagnosed by two doctors as terminal in order to qualify for assisted suicide.

According to the AP, the Washington law is modeled after a similar 1997 Oregon statute, under which “about 400 people have ended their lives.”

President Obama’s announcement yesterday that he has revoked the Bush administration’s “preemption” rule, which subordinated state law to federal regulations, potentially opens the door for more states to enact “right to die” legislation.