By Margaret Dore, Esq.
This is a short summary version of problems with New Hampshire's pending euthanasia act. For more a more in depth presentation, click here.
The proposed Death with Dignity Act is based on a similar Act in Oregon.
Both Acts apply to people predicted to have less than six months to live. In real life, such predictions are often wrong due to mistake and because predicting how long a person will live is an inexact science; sometimes a disease process will stop on its own.
If passed into law, the Act will apply to people with years or decades to live. This will be especially true if New Hampshire follows Oregon practice to determine life expectancies without treatment. Young adults with chronic conditions, such as insulin dependent diabetes, will be considered terminal and therefore subject to the Act.
Assisting persons, such as family members, can have an agenda, with the more obvious reasons being inheritance and life insurance.
People who sign up for a lethal dose are not necessarily intending to take it. Sometimes they request it at the suggestion of a doctor or a family member, "just in case" things get bad.
Once the lethal dose is in the home, there is a complete lack of oversight. No witness, not even a doctor, is required to be present at the death. If the patient objects or even struggles against administration, who would know?
New Hampshire caselaw prohibits a person who commits murder from being unjustly enriched by inheriting the victim's property.
This will not be true under the Act because death certificates will list a natural death, thereby allowing people who would otherwise be murderers, to inherit as a matter of law. The Act will legalize non-voluntary euthanasia as that term is traditionally defined.
The Act’s passage will render people with money, meaning the middle class and above, sitting ducks to their heirs and other financial predators. Lower income people will also be at risk, but for different reasons. Please click here.
In the last nine years, nine states have strengthened their laws against assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Protect yourselves and the people you care about. Tell your legislators to reject assisted suicide and euthanasia. Tell them to vote “No” on HB 1659-FN.