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'''Oregon Ballot Measure 16 (1994),''' also known as the "Death with Dignity Act" appeared on the [[Oregon]] ballot in November 8, 1994.  It narrowly passed, with 627,980 votes in favor and 596,018 votes against (or 51.3% to 48.7%).

Measure 16 legalized physician-assisted dying with certain restrictions. Passage of the initiative made Oregon the first U.S. state and one of the first jurisdictions in the world to pass such a law.

The [[Oregon State Legislature]] placed a [[legislative referral]] on the ballot in 1997, [[Oregon Ballot Measure 51 (1997)]], seeking to repeal Measure 16.  However, that effort failed, with 60% of voters opposed.

The Death with Dignity Act was challenged by the federal Justice Department under [[Wikipedia:George W. Bush|George Bush]], but it was upheld by the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] in a 2005 decision, [[Wikipedia:Gonzales v. Oregon|Gonzales v. Oregon]].

==Washington I-1000 in 2008==

A similar ballot measure, [[Washington Initiative 1000 (2008)|I-1000]], is set to appear on the [[Washington 2008 ballot measures|November 4, 2008 ballot]] in the state of [[Washington]].

==Impact==

As of 2006, 292 people have taken their lives under Oregon's Death with Dignity Act.<ref>[http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/docs/year9.pdf ''State of Oregon's report on aftermath'']</ref>

== External links ==
*[http://www.dhs.state.or.us/publichealth/chs/pas/ors.cfm Text of the law]
*[http://egov.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/ State government website about law]
*[http://ortl.org/assisted-suicide/ Web site opposed to the law]
*[http://www.deathwithdignity.org/ Web site in favor of law]
*[http://www.compassionandchoices.org/ Compassion & Choices]
*[http://www.doj.state.or.us/11072001.htm Briefs filed by the state of Oregon in the ''Oregon v. Gonzales'' case]
*[http://www.euthanasiaprocon.org/dwdagoodbadlaw.html Is the Oregon Death with Dignity Act a good law?] Website with pros and cons
* [http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov497/voters.guide/M51/M51.htm Oregon Voter's Guide page on Measure 51]--includes the full text of the measure, and arguments for and against

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[[Category:Oregon 1994 ballot measures]]
[[Category:Assisted suicide, Oregon]]