Grand Canyon Crowding

Story Outline

Oregon Woman Takes Advantage of Assisted Suicide Law

From a news story by
CNN San Francisco Reporter Don Knapp 3/25/98

I. Assisted suicide means that a very ill person can get medicine to help them die
A. A woman with cancer decided she wanted to die
B. She left an audio tape
C. She took medicine to help her die

II. Under Oregon law, doctors may give the medicine to help people die
A. The patient must be sure he/she wants to die
B. The patient must have less than six months to live

III. The woman talked to three doctors before finding one to help her die
A. The first two doctors would not help
B. Finally, a third doctor was willing to help

IV. The Oregon law is called the Death with Dignity Act
A. It was passed by voters in 1994
B. It was passed again in 1997

V. Oregon's Roman Catholic Church fought the law
A. An archbishop said he was afraid people would think we wanted them to die

VI. This woman died 5 months after Oregon's Death with Dignity Act was passed