DAILY
CATHOLIC MONDAY June 8,
1998
vol. 9, no. 110
NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective
To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO
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CLINTON ADMINISTRATION WON'T PURSUE
OREGON ASSISTED SUICIDE DOCTORS
WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - Attorney General Janet Reno will
tell federal drug enforcement agents not to
investigate any doctors who prescribe medication in
connection with Oregon's doctor-assisted suicide law,
Justice Department officials said on Friday.
The sources said Reno and President Clinton still
oppose
assisted suicide, but Reno decided that the Drug
Enforcement Agency does not have authority under the
federal Controlled Substances Act to take action against
Oregon doctors who provide lethal doses of medicine for
terminally ill patients in ways that conform to the Oregon
state law. The officials said the DEA disagreed with that
conclusion.
Lori Houghens of the National Right To Life Committee
in
Washington, called Reno's decision tragic and horrible. "We
think for this government, for this Justice Department to
pull the safety net out from under the most vulnerable
people in our society, people who are terminally ill,
people with severe disabilities, we think it's
unconscionable, and right now we call on Congress to act
promptly to prevent any more tragic deaths in Oregon," she
said.
After the Oregon law was passed by voters the Justice
Department began reviewing its jurisdiction over assisted
suicide. Dozens of members of Congress called on Reno to
accept an interpretation of the Controlled Substances Act
that would disqualify assisted suicide as a "legitimate
medical purpose" of drugs.
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Articles provided
through Catholic World News Service.
CWN is not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provides this service via
e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.
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June 8, 1998
volume 9, no. 110
NEWS & VIEWS
DAILY CATHOLIC
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