Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington is about to become the next battleground in the debate over assisted suicide.

Former Governor Booth Gardner - a Democrat - will introduce a “right-to-die” ballot measure on Wednesday. It will be closely modeled on Oregon's Death with Dignity Act. Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Gardner, who's battling Parkinson's, says this will be his last campaign. He plans to spend 2008 stumping for the Washington Death with Dignity Initiative.

It would make it legal for doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients who want to take their own lives.

A similar measure failed in 1991. But Gardner says a lot has changed since then - including the fact Dr. Jack Kevorkian is no longer in the news.

Booth Gardner: “He was running loose at that time and I think people got scared of that and he's not a factor in this issue, not today.”

Gardner also says Oregon's ten-year history with assisted suicide helps. Ironically, Gardner would not qualify under the Washington measure since Parkinson's is not considered a terminal disease.

Supporters have until July to gather signatures for the November ballot. Opposition to the measure is expected to be fierce.