Campaigners To Try Post-Election Bid For Assisted Suicide in Scotland
Assisted SuicideCampaigners for assisted suicide will launch a fresh attempt to change the law in Scotland after the next Holyrood elections, according to media reports.
In response, Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of the coalition group Care Not Killing warned that changing the law would ‘remove universal protections’.
He went on to say:
Slippery Slope
Dr Macdonald also said that evidence from other countries proved the slippery slope argument with assisted suicide or euthanasia laws expanded over time to cover other groups.
A recent article on euthanasia in the Netherlands highlighted this and referenced the fact that euthanasia deaths now account for 4% of all deaths in the country.
Growing pressure to change the law
Recent months have witnessed growing pressure to change the law and permit some form of assisted suicide across the UK.
Ireland are currently debating an assisted suicide bill and the results of a referendum on the issue in New Zealand is expected on 6 November.
Experts warn MPs over risks of assisted suicide
At Westminster MPs recently heard from two international experts on the dangers of legalising assisted suicide.
In places like Oregon, Washington State and Canada where assisted suicide is legal, there’s been rising numbers and disappearing safeguards.
In Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland you see the same trend. Reports also suggest euthanasia could soon be legalised in The Netherlands for children aged 1-12 years old.
CARE’s View
The reasons for resisting assisted suicide and promoting palliative care as an alternative are powerful and persuasive.
The risks involved with any change in the law are legion. Any safeguards would be unlikely to be work perfectly.
As such, the elderly and disabled people could come under particular pressure to end their own lives.
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Campaigners To Try Post-Election Bid For Assisted Suicide in Scotland