Recent polling of just over 2,000 adults by Whitestone Insight found that a majority (60%) support legalising assisted suicide.
However, even among those who support it, a majority (56%) do not believe that it can be safely implemented, while the same proportion fear it would lead to a culture where suicide is normalised.
Young people were least likely to support a change to the law, with fewer than half of 18 to 24 year olds (44%) saying they agreed with it.
Dr Macdonald concluded: “At a time when we see how quickly the safeguards in countries like Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands have been eroded so disabled people and those with mental health problems, even eating disorders are now being euthanised, I would strongly urge the Government to focus on fixing our broken palliative care system that sees up to one in four Brits who would benefit from this type of care being unable to access it, rather than discussing again this dangerous and ideological policy.
https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&client=ca-pub-8630266456498319&output=html&h=300&adk=3884505385&adf=1946567459&pi=t.aa~a.568049963~i.32~rp.4&w=360&abgtt=5&lmt=1726429802&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=9045945876&ad_type=text_image&format=360×300&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.christiantoday.com%2Farticle%2Fchristian.groups.warn.against.dangers.of.assisted.suicide.after.citizens.jury.backs.changes%2F142152.htm&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=282&rw=338&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&uach=WyJBbmRyb2lkIiwiMTIuMC4wIiwiIiwiSW5maW5peCBYNjUxNiIsIjEyOC4wLjY2MTMuMTI3IixudWxsLDEsbnVsbCwiIixbWyJDaHJvbWl1bSIsIjEyOC4wLjY2MTMuMTI3Il0sWyJOb3Q7QT1CcmFuZCIsIjI0LjAuMC4wIl0sWyJHb29nbGUgQ2hyb21lIiwiMTI4LjAuNjYxMy4xMjciXV0sMF0.&dt=1726429801231&bpp=13&bdt=3821&idt=-M&shv=r20240911&mjsv=m202409100101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D5f177af6ec4774a3%3AT%3D1726426318%3ART%3D1726429747%3AS%3DALNI_MabE43pgVklIqp1kFn8RVsUW3Cw-w&gpic=UID%3D00000f0351c16abd%3AT%3D1726426318%3ART%3D1726429747%3AS%3DALNI_MYXG4tTBdpotzBMcgLXWrciqe03CA&eo_id_str=ID%3Dd76aed8bfdefbdd0%3AT%3D1726426318%3ART%3D1726429747%3AS%3DAA-Afjb3zaTYYEhULCVSMWi2R-VT&prev_fmts=0x0%2C360x300%2C360x300&nras=4&correlator=5240808535063&frm=20&pv=1&u_tz=60&u_his=5&u_h=806&u_w=360&u_ah=806&u_aw=360&u_cd=24&u_sd=2&dmc=2&adx=0&ady=3815&biw=360&bih=714&scr_x=0&scr_y=1579&eid=44759875%2C44759926%2C44759842%2C42532524%2C44798934%2C95338228%2C95341664%2C95341671&oid=2&pvsid=1836348184363256&tmod=71439108&uas=0&nvt=1&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.christiantoday.com%2Fnews&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C360%2C0%2C360%2C714%2C360%2C714&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&bz=1&td=1&tdf=2&psd=W251bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLDNd&nt=1&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=2&fsb=1&dtd=1243
“With suicides in the UK being at record levels, financial worries and the NHS in crisis, now is not the time to encourage or facilitate more suicides by legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia.”
Ross Hendry, CEO of Christian advocacy group CARE, said the findings of the poll challenge campaigners’ claims of widespread support. He said that legalising assisted suicide would send the message that “some lives are not worth living – that some people are not worth protecting”.
“The dangers of legislating for this idea are clear, and have been underlined repeatedly,” he said.
“Assisted suicide puts vulnerable groups at huge risk of abuse. People currently protected from harm by the state would end their lives because they feel like a burden on others or the NHS, or because they lack proper support. The just and compassionate response to suffering is life-affirming care. This means proper investment in services that meet people’s physical, mental and spiritual needs.
https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&client=ca-pub-8630266456498319&output=html&h=300&adk=3884505385&adf=1556443479&pi=t.aa~a.568049963~i.42~rp.4&w=360&abgtt=5&lmt=1726429802&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=9045945876&ad_type=text_image&format=360×300&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.christiantoday.com%2Farticle%2Fchristian.groups.warn.against.dangers.of.assisted.suicide.after.citizens.jury.backs.changes%2F142152.htm&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=282&rw=338&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&uach=WyJBbmRyb2lkIiwiMTIuMC4wIiwiIiwiSW5maW5peCBYNjUxNiIsIjEyOC4wLjY2MTMuMTI3IixudWxsLDEsbnVsbCwiIixbWyJDaHJvbWl1bSIsIjEyOC4wLjY2MTMuMTI3Il0sWyJOb3Q7QT1CcmFuZCIsIjI0LjAuMC4wIl0sWyJHb29nbGUgQ2hyb21lIiwiMTI4LjAuNjYxMy4xMjciXV0sMF0.&dt=1726429801231&bpp=15&bdt=3822&idt=15&shv=r20240911&mjsv=m202409100101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D5f177af6ec4774a3%3AT%3D1726426318%3ART%3D1726429747%3AS%3DALNI_MabE43pgVklIqp1kFn8RVsUW3Cw-w&gpic=UID%3D00000f0351c16abd%3AT%3D1726426318%3ART%3D1726429747%3AS%3DALNI_MYXG4tTBdpotzBMcgLXWrciqe03CA&eo_id_str=ID%3Dd76aed8bfdefbdd0%3AT%3D1726426318%3ART%3D1726429747%3AS%3DAA-Afjb3zaTYYEhULCVSMWi2R-VT&prev_fmts=0x0%2C360x300%2C360x300%2C360x300&nras=5&correlator=5240808535063&frm=20&pv=1&u_tz=60&u_his=5&u_h=806&u_w=360&u_ah=806&u_aw=360&u_cd=24&u_sd=2&dmc=2&adx=0&ady=5013&biw=360&bih=714&scr_x=0&scr_y=1579&eid=44759875%2C44759926%2C44759842%2C42532524%2C44798934%2C95338228%2C95341664%2C95341671&oid=2&pvsid=1836348184363256&tmod=71439108&uas=0&nvt=1&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.christiantoday.com%2Fnews&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C360%2C0%2C360%2C714%2C360%2C714&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&bz=1&td=1&tdf=2&psd=W251bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLDNd&nt=1&ifi=5&uci=a!5&btvi=3&fsb=1&dtd=1271
“The UK has huge work to do in this area. We’d also emphasise the need to enhance suicide prevention, and work towards a society where all lives are considered precious.”
