Oregon is worried about elder suicide. Yet, it promotes assisted suicide as a legal and legitimate act in cases of terminal illness. This is working at cross purposes. Legalized assisted suicide sends a strong message to all despondent people that suicide is a legitimate answer to human suffering. To state that some suicidal people can have their suicides facilited, while others will receive preventative treatment, is logically inconsistent. If Oregon leaders wish to prevent elder (and youth) suicide, it should unequivocally oppose all suicides. Otherwise, all of their talk is just so much hot air.
