A 71 percent majority of Americans believe that euthanasia should be legal, according to a new poll.
The Gallup poll found over seven in ten Americans believe doctors should be “allowed by law to end the patient’s life by some painless means if the patient and his or her family request it.”
Doctor-assisted suicide, patients ending their own lives with the aid of a physician, has slightly less support, with 66 percent.
The pollsters report, "Although both readings are consistent with support over the past decade, slightly fewer Americans between 1996 and 2014 thought doctor-assisted suicide should be legal. During that time, an average of 58% of Americans were in favor, compared with an average of 65% since 2014. Support for doctor-assisted suicide has risen from the trend low of 51% just in the past decade, while support for euthanasia has varied only modestly over the past three decades."
"Gallup first asked about doctor-assisted suicide in 1996 but has asked about doctors ending a patient’s life through painless means since 1947," the report continued to explain. "In that earliest poll, 37% of Americans were in support, with the record low of 36% recorded three years later in 1950. When Gallup next polled on the issue in 1973, 53% of Americans were in favor, after which stronger majorities have remained in agreement."
While 66 percent believe assisted suicide should be legal, just 53 percent believe that it is morally acceptable.Religiosity has the most significant impact on one’s perceptions of morality regarding this question. Sixty-seven percent of those who seldom or never attend religious services say doctor-assisted suicide is morally acceptable, compared with 29% of those who attend services weekly; 66% of the most religious Americans believe doctor-assisted suicide is morally wrong.
The poll also found more support among Democrats (79%) and independents (72%) than Republicans (61%) for legal euthanasia.
Gallup noted, "Doctor-assisted suicide is legal in 11 U.S. jurisdictions under stringent requirements. No states currently allow euthanasia, but physicians are ethically allowed to withdraw life-sustaining treatment for a terminal patient should current interventions not facilitate the patient’s quality of life. With most Americans in support of euthanasia, this makes end-of-life options a complicated concern in legal and medical communities and raises a myriad of questions regarding medical ethics for lawmakers."
In July 2021, the Psychiatric Times published an article in opposition to assisted suicide and noted that "preliminary reports suggest increased rates of suicide in the general population of states that have legalized PAS (physician assisted suicide). Specifically, 'legalizing PAS has been associated with an increased rate of total suicides relative to other [non-PAS] states, and no decrease in non-assisted suicides.' Similarly, suicide rates in the Netherlands (where medical euthanasia is legal) have accelerated, compared to neighboring countries that have not legalized medical euthanasia."
They report that physician and ethicist Leon Kass, MD, has pointedly cautioned: "we must care for the dying, not make them dead."
The American College of Physicians has said "physician-assisted suicide is neither a therapy nor a solution to difficult questions raised at the end of life. On the basis of substantive ethics, clinical practice, policy, and other concerns, the ACP does not support legalization of physician-assisted suicide. … However, through high-quality care, effective communication, compassionate support, and the right resources, physicians can help patients control many aspects of how they live out life's last chapter."
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their own life, get help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations.
