WASHINGTON, May 27, 2002 (LSN.ca) – The US Justice Department confirmed Friday that it will appeal a court decision barring the department from using its authority over the federal Controlled Substances Act to quash Oregon’s practice of legal physician-assisted suicide. In his April ruling, U.S. District Judge Robert Jones slammed Attorney General John Ashcroft accusing him of attempting to “stifle an ongoing, earnest and profound debate in the various states concerning physician-assisted suicide.” Under Ashcroft’s November 6 directive, Oregon doctors who prescribe federally controlled drugs for assisted suicide and Oregon pharmacists who dispense the drugs for assisted suicide could have their DEA licenses to prescribe or dispense federally controlled substances revoked. Loss of a DEA license would make it difficult for most physicians to continue to practice medicine because they would no longer be able to prescribe virtually any kind of pain-killing medication.
Over ninety people have been killed via legal assisted suicide in the state.
See the AP coverage: https://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020923/hl_nm/oregon_suicide_dc_1 See related LifeSite coverage: US JUDGE RULES ATTORNEY GENERAL CANNOT HAMPER OREGON ASSISTED SUICIDE PRACTICE https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/apr/02041702.html