74% support in assisted dying poll
Seventy-four per cent of people in Paisley back an individual’s right to end their own life, according to the results of a survey conducted by Dignity in Dying Scotland.
The poll was carried out ahead of the introduction of a new Bill that seeks to change the law on assisted dying in the country.
The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by Liam McArthur MSP.
It would enable patients to request medical assistance to end their life if they had a terminal illness and had been ruled mentally fit to make the decision by two doctors.
Polling carried out by Opinium Research, on behalf of Dignity in Dying Scotland, canvassed the views of more than 4,000 people across the country.
It revealed that 78 per cent said they would support a change in the law to allow terminally-ill adults access assisted dying. In Paisley, that figure was 74 per cent. It was also 74 per cent in the Renfrewshire South and Renfrewshire North and West areas.
Mr McArthur said: “Currently in Scotland, assisted dying is illegal, a situation that I believe is failing too many terminally-ill Scots at the end of life.
“It is leaving them facing traumatic deaths that impact not just them but those that they leave behind. We can and must do better.
“The provisions I am proposing would be robustly safeguarded to ensure the process works as intended. Similar laws have been safely and successfully introduced in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United States where they continue to enjoy strong public support.
“I hope that as they consider the provisions of the Bill, my colleagues will look at the evidence supporting a change in the law and the wishes of dying Scots and vote to give terminally ill adults the choice they need.
Ally Thomson, director of Dignity in Dying Scotland, said: “I’ve spoken to countless terminally-ill people who are desperate for the peace of mind that this Bill would bring, and to so many who have watched someone they love endure a terrible death and don’t wish anyone else to suffer in a similar way.
“The publication of the Bill gives them all hope that needless suffering can be consigned to the past. We call on MSPs not to stand in the way of their choice.”
The Bill is likely to come face strong reaction from religious groups who oppose the act on faith grounds.
Bishop John Keenan, the Bishop of Paisley – who is also an outspoken critic of the Scottish Government’s bid to create buffer zones outside abortion clinics – has described it as the introduction of “a dangerous idea that a citizen can lose their value and worth”.
He said: “Assisted suicide sends a message that there are situations when suicide is an appropriate response to one’s individual circumstances, worries, anxieties. It normalises suicide and accepts that some people are beyond hope.”
In Scotland, it is not illegal to attempt suicide but helping someone take their own life could lead to prosecution.
The Bill is expected to be debated this autumn before being voted on next year.