June 28, 2010/NRLC --
By Liz Townsend
Almost 90% of those answering a call from the Scottish Parliament for written evidence as it considers an assisted-suicide bill expressed strong opposition to legalizing euthanasia, according to The Scotsman.
The Scottish Parliament's Information Centre reported that 521 of the 601 respondents opposed the bill, with only 39 in favor and 41 expressing no opinion....
The End of Life Assistance Bill would allow anyone over 16 who "has been diagnosed as terminally ill and finds life intolerable; or... is permanently physically incapacitated to such an extent as not to be able to live independently and finds life intolerable" to request help to kill him or herself. The bill requires consultation with 2 medical practitioners, but does not specify the method of death or include any reporting requirements....
Only 7 of the 117 submissions by medical practitioners supported assisted suicide....
Evidence given by the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics summed up... :
Legalising euthanasia... would give the message that human dignity is only based on subjective choices and decisions and whether a life meets certain quality standards.
Read article in its entirety here.
