Doctor Assisted Suicide
Pew Research Center has reported the results of a survey conducted last year shows that U.S adults are about evenly divided about laws that allow doctor-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.
Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman with terminal brain cancer, publicly announced her plan to take her own life soon after her husband’s birthday on Oct. 26. She is using her story to make the case for more widespread laws allowing doctor-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Maynard moved to Oregon, one of five states that allow the practice, in order to obtain medication for the purpose of ending her life.
According to the Pew study, 47% of U.S. adults are in favor of laws allowing doctor assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. 49% are opposed to such laws. According to Pew’s earlier November 2013 survey report, there are sizable differences in approval rates depending on ethnicity and religious affiliation. For example, 65% of Hispanics and blacks disapprove of laws allowing doctor assisted suicide , while a bare majority (53%) of whites approve of such laws. Interestingly, a majority of whites claiming to be affiliated with Catholic (55%) and mainline Protestant (61%) churches approve of these laws, smilar to persons claiming no religious affiliation (66%). On the other hand Hispanic Catholic (63%), white evangelical Protestants (67%) and black Protestants (72%) disapprove.
Thanks to Pew Research Center.