780
Souter, J., concurring in judgment
Respondents argue that the State has in fact already recognized enough evolving examples of this tradition of patient care to demonstrate the strength of their claim. Washington, like other States, authorizes physicians to withdraw life-sustaining medical treatment and artificially delivered food and water from patients who request it, even though such actions will hasten death. See Wash. Rev. Code §§ 70.122.110, 70.122.051 (1994); see generally Notes to Uniform Rights of the Terminally Ill Act, 9B U. L. A. 168-169 (Supp. 1997) (listing state statutes). The State permits physicians to alleviate anxiety and discomfort when withdrawing artificial life-supporting devices by administering medication that will hasten death even further. And it generally permits physicians to administer medication to patients in terminal conditions when the primary intent is to alleviate pain, even when the medication is so powerful as to hasten death and the patient chooses to receive it with that understanding. See Wash. Rev. Code § 70.122.010 (1994); see generally Rousseau, Terminal Sedation in the Care of Dying Patients, 156 Archives of Internal Medicine 1785 (1996); Truog, Berde, Mitchell, & Grier, Barbiturates in the Care of the Terminally Ill, 327 New Eng. J. Med. 1678 (1992).15
15 Other States have enacted similar provisions, some categorically authorizing such pain treatment, see, e. g., Ind. Code § 35-42-1-2.5(a)(1) (Supp. 1996) (ban on assisted suicide does not apply to licensed health-care provider who administers or dispenses medications or procedures to relieve pain or discomfort, even if such medications or procedures hasten death, unless provider intends to cause death); Iowa Code Ann. § 707A.3.1 (West Supp. 1997) (same); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 216.304 (Michie 1997) (same); Minn. Stat. Ann. § 609.215(3) (West Supp. 1997) (same); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§ 2133.11(A)(6), 2133.12(E)(1) (1994); R. I. Gen. Laws § 11-60-4 (Supp. 1996) (same); S. D. Codified Laws § 22-16-37.1 (Supp. 1997); see Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 752.1027(3) (West Supp. 1997); Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-216(b)(2) (1996); others permit patients to sign health-care directives in which they authorize pain treatment even if it hastens death. See, e. g., Me. Rev. Stat. Ann., Tit. 18-A, §§ 5-804, 5-809 (1996); N. M. Stat. Ann. §§ 24-7A-4, 24-7A-9 (Supp. 1995); S. C. Code Ann. § 62-5-504 (Supp. 1996); Va. Code Ann. §§ 54.1-2984, 4.1-2988 (1994).
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