Hawaii says no to pain.

• Position: Pain Patient's Bill of Rights - Brief Article

In a move that seemed to satisfy both the "assisted suicide" opponents and "death with dignity" proponents, Hawaii passed legislation this fall that focuses on people who suffer from chronic pain.

The Pain Patient's Bill of Rights gives anyone tormented by severe acute or chronic pain the legal right to effective treatment, including opiates if prescribed by a physician.

"Hawaii, like other states, has wrestled for years with the frustrating issue of the assisted suicide, death with dignity controversy," says Representative Cindy Evans. "That's why I decided to address one of the root...