{"id":282531,"date":"2023-01-02T07:41:55","date_gmt":"2023-01-02T13:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=282531"},"modified":"2023-11-06T15:53:01","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T21:53:01","slug":"scotland-assisted-suicide-unsafe-unpredictable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/scotland-assisted-suicide-unsafe-unpredictable\/","title":{"rendered":"Opponents of assisted suicide in Scotland: Canada proves legalizing would be ‘unsafe and unpredictable’"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

(Right to Life UK<\/a>) Campaigners have warned that proposals to allow assisted suicide in Scotland will open the door to a Canada-style system in which people will be permitted to end their lives for mental health concerns, branding the proposals \u201cregressive and dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

While MSPs in Holyrood consider a proposal to make assisted suicide legal, opponents of the legislation have pointed to Canada arguing that a change in law will open the way to more extreme legislation in future. While Canada introduced assisted suicide in 2016 under certain conditions, the requirement that death be \u201creasonably forseeable\u201d has been removed and from 2023, assisted suicide and euthanasia on the basis of mental health alone will be permitted.<\/p>\n

Spokesperson for the Better Way campaign, Dr Miro Griffiths, said<\/a>: \u201cThe development of Canada\u2019s euthanasia framework since it was introduced should trouble every politician in the UK who is being asked to back legal assisted suicide.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCanada shows that laws of this kind are inherently unsafe and unpredictable.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn Canada and other European jurisdictions, safeguards have failed and been dispensed with over time as activists push for wider access to legislation. This cannot ultimately be denied by parliaments and courts because doing so is felt to be exclusionary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCases of coercion and abuse, and worsening discrimination against marginalised groups are also part of the global picture. People feel forced to opt for assisted death because of poverty, homelessness, or a lack of care. These laws offer only an illusion of choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRegressive and dangerous\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe evidence heard in previous debates about assisted suicide makes it clear that legalising this practice in Scotland would jeopardise the safety, dignity, and equality of many Scots. It remains a regressive and dangerous plan,\u201d Dr Griffiths added<\/a>.<\/p>\n

MSPs in Holyrood have twice voted against making assisted suicide legal in Scotland, the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, also twice voting against the proposal. She now claims to be \u201cmore open\u201d to a change in the law.<\/p>\n

The assisted suicide legislation in Scotland is being proposed by Liam McArthur MSP. Under the plans, a mentally competent adult who is thought to have no chance of recovery from an illness which will result in death could be prescribed lethal drugs on the NHS. Those opting for assisted suicide would have a \u201cperiod of reflection\u201d before ending their lives.<\/p>\n

One in five cite loneliness as a reason to want to die<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2021, 10,064<\/a> people ended their lives by assisted suicide and euthanasia in Canada, an increase of over 32% from the previous year, accounting for 3.3% of all deaths in Canada.<\/p>\n

According to the latest report<\/a> on Medical Assistance in Dying from Health Canada, 17.3% of people also cited \u201cisolation or loneliness\u201d as a reason for wanting to die. In 35.7% of cases, patients believed that they were a \u201cburden on family, friends or caregivers\u201d.<\/p>\n

Right To Life UK spokesperson Catherine Robinson said: \u201cCampaigners are right to be concerned about where this kind of legislation leads and the Canadian example should serve as a warning sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

Editor’s Note: This article was published at Right to Life UK<\/a> and is reprinted here with permission.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Right to Life UK) Campaigners have warned that proposals to allow assisted suicide in Scotland will open the door to a Canada-style system in which people will be permitted to end their lives for mental health concerns, branding the proposals \u201cregressive and dangerous.\u201d While MSPs in Holyrood consider a proposal to make assisted suicide legal, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":669,"featured_media":246991,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[7077,5,4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nOpponents of assisted suicide in Scotland: Canada proves legalizing would be 'unsafe and unpredictable'<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Campaigners have warned that proposals to allow assisted suicide in Scotland will open the door to a Canada-style system that is \u201cregressive and dangerous.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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