Scottish First Minister John Swinney says he is worried that a proposed assisted suicide bill would apply to 16-year-olds.
The First Minister of Scotland says he is “wrestling” with the issue of assisted suicide, which, according to a proposed bill, would apply to young teens.
“I’ve not come to a final view about it”, he said, referring to Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur’s assisted suicide bill that would allow terminally ill teens to apply for assisted suicide.
“I will make my view clear before we get to a stage one view of the Bill. And I do recognise the significance of the issue… An age threshold of 16 is for me a significant issue”, he said.
Dr Claud Regnard, the retired medical director of St Oswald’s Hospice, warned GB News that assisted suicide laws could permit teens with anorexia to take their own lives.
The doctor, with 40 years of medical experience, said: “A 16-year-old in Scotland with anorexia nervosa would easily be eligible for assisted death if they said they won’t eat, as that would count as a terminal illness with a prognosis of less than six months – and they wouldn’t have to consult their parents.”
At least 60 people with eating disorders have been euthanised or killed by assisted suicide since 2012, a study recently found. It noted that such deaths are underreported, which raised more “concerns about oversight and public safety”.
SPUC comment
A SPUC spokesperson said: “The definition of what constitutes ‘terminal’ illness is so vague in the assisted suicide bills for Scotland, England and Wales that it could be interpreted to kill anyone suffering many illnesses, and this includes teens with anorexia.
“Such laws would also send the message to children that their lives are not worth living, further enabling suicidal thoughts. Assisted suicide is a disaster waiting to happen. The only safe and responsible measure is to reject such legislation for the sake of all vulnerable people.”
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