BILL WOULD ALLOW DEA TO BLOCK ASSISTED SUICIDE

A bill that would penalize doctors and pharmacists who give lethal doses of
narcotics to suicidal patients will increase the suffering of millions of
Americans who are suffering from severe pain,a number of national medical
groups say.

The bill, which could come to a vote in Congress early next month, is a bid
to use the power of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to block
assisted suicide.

Specifically, the Lethal Drug Abuse Prevention Act would authorize the DEA
to suspend or revoke the license to prescribe federally controlled drugs of
any doctor or pharmacy "who intentionally dispensed or distributed a
controlled substance with a purpose of causing or assisting in causing, (a)
suicide."

While foes of the legislation don't advocate suicide, they're fearful that
the threat of DEA investigation will deter doctors from adequately
medicating.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson