On Thursday 28th of March a bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament that would make assisted dying legal. Should it become law, it would be the first UK nation to make assisted dying legal – Scotland is allowed to determine its own healthcare laws – though it is already legal on the Isle of Man and Jersey.
Under the proposed law, only terminally ill and mentally fit patients could request self-administered assistance in dying for which two doctors would have to approve. Polls show that 78% of Scots are in favour (recent Dignity in Dying poll), though the recently elected First Minister Humza Yousaf has already indicated that he would vote against.
Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur, who tabled the bill said, “It has been clear for many years that an overwhelming majority of the public support a change in the law to allow more choice for dying people at the end of life,” he said.
Read more: Scotland Tables Proposed Assisted Dying Law | Barron’s (barrons.com)
Scotland