By Wesley J. Smith

Editor’s note. This appeared on Wesley’s blog at http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2011/01/25/mixed-messages-on-suicide-prevention-in-vermont/

The Burlington Free Press has a front page story today on suicide prevention. From the story:

Vermont school administrators, guidance counselors and teachers routinely receive training on how to prevent teen suicides, but mental health experts say even with intervention, not every life can be saved…Whenever a youth is thought to be at risk of suicide, it is imperative to talk to them and steer them quickly toward mental health counselors, mental health professionals said.
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That’s good. But whatever would get teens to think suicide could be acceptable answer to ending human suffering? Oh, yes: The new governor of Vermont ran on a plank of legalizing assisted suicide and a big push is to be made in the legislature to pass just such a law [www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2011/01/24/vermont-assisted-suicide-bill-the-usual-loophole-scam].

So, on one hand Vermont laudably wants to prevent suicides. But on the other, the highest officials in the state want to turn suicide into a medical treatment for some Vermonters. Mixed messages don’t work, folks. Get a clue!