Debate about assisted suicide: a law for the end of life?

Debate about assisted suicide: a law for the end of life?

London, United Kingdom - Britain in the dispute over assisted suicide! A groundbreaking law to legalize the assisted dying was introduced in the British parliament last week - the first attempt to change the law for a decade. If the law is adopted, terminal, mentally competent adults with a life expectancy of six months or less, could get their lives with medical help.

The current legal framework in England and Wales, which has existed since the Suicide Act from 1961, prohibits promoting suicide or helping. Anyone who violates this law must expect up to 14 years of prison. Labor MP Kim Leadbeater, who brought the law on October 16, emphasizes the need to provide the legal regulations with the correct protective measures to prevent people with disabilities or mental illnesses under pressure to make this decision.

The heated debate

The discussion about the topic has also mobilized religious leaders. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, warns that the legalization of the assisted suicide could endanger many vulnerable people who feel as a burden on their relatives or the health system. The British Islamic Medical Association expresses similar concerns and emphasizes the dangers for marginalized groups that already have difficulty getting appropriate health care.

The supporters of the law argue that it is about self -determination, pain relief and mental peace. A dignity survey in Dying shows that 84 percent of the British support the legalization of assisted death. Prime Minister Keir Strandmer, who already campaigned for a similar law in 2015, demands a “free coordination” in parliament and emphasizes that there are reasons for a change in the law. The first vote on the new law is planned for November 29th.