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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Vox Box

Initiative 1000 gets the clear…

Should a doctor be able to prescribe a lethal dose of drugs to a dying patient?

In Washington's Initiative 1000, (titled 'Death with Dignity), that question was posed upon Washington voters. Despite it's tricky social inclinations, voters answered by a "margin of 59% to 41%, making it legal for doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication for patients with less than six months to live."

However, as legal as it now may be there are many steps that must be taken before any prescribing can take place. Two seperate requests must be made by the patient, one orally and another in writing. These requests must be made more than two weeks apart and the patient must be "of sound mind and not suffering from depression."

In addition to multiple requests, the patient must be approved by two seperate doctors.

Washington State has now joined the ranks with Oregon, being the only states with similar 'physician-assisted suicide' laws.

Do you agree with this initiative? Should the voters be smacked? Will this have any affect on our lives as teens?



In 2006, then-editor Steve Smith of The Spokesman-Review had the idea of starting a publication for an often forgotten audience: teenagers. The Vox Box was a continuation of the Vox, an all-student staffed newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review. High school student journalists who staffed the Vox made all content decisions as they learn about the trade of journalism. This blog's mission was to give students an opportunity to publish their voices. The Vox Box and the Vox wrapped up in June 2009, but you can follow former staffers' new blog at http://voxxiez.blogspot.com.