ASSSITED SUICIDE: California Not Ready for Aroner’s Bill
California is "emotionally and intellectually unprepared" for Assemblywoman Dion Aroner's (D-Berkeley) physician-assisted suicide measure introduced last month, an editorial in yesterday's San Mateo County Times argues. The editorial contends that the Supreme Court was correct in ruling that the Constitution provides no right for assisted suicide, and argues that the "debate is still in its infancy." Although the editorial supports public comment and debate on the issue, it says Aroner's bill is "doomed" because Californians "require a lengthy grace period to confront completely the emotional and moral caveats of physician-assisted suicide." The piece concludes: "An undertaking of this magnitude should not be contemplated overnight. To that end, we do applaud the search for knowledge on this issue" (3/15).
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