Young people aged 18-24 are more opposed than any other age group to attempts to legalise assisted dying in Scotland, a new poll has found.
Recent updates reveal that the Lib Dem MSP leading the proposals has decided to remove the section of the plans that previously allowed 16-year-olds to seek medical assistance to end their lives.
Under the revised version of the proposed Bill introduced by Liam McArthur, individuals would now need to be at least 18 years old to be eligible for medically-assisted euthanasia.
The revised legislation aims to permit individuals with terminal illnesses to request medical intervention to end their lives, provided they have received approval from two physicians confirming their mental capacity to make such a decision.
MSPs are scheduled to vote on the broad principles of McArthur’s bill at Holyrood on 13 May.
Discussing his decision, Mr McArthur said: ‘In other jurisdictions that have changed the law to allow dying people access to the choice of an assisted death, such as the US, Australia and New Zealand, 18 is the age from which terminally ill adults become eligible.
‘On balance I now feel that this would be most appropriate for Scotland.’
The change to the proposed Assisted Dying (Scotland) Bill comes as the results of a survey by pollsters Whitestone, commissioned by anti-assisted suicide campaign group Care Not Killing, are published.
The proposed Bill has been brought forward by Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur
Health secretary Neil Gray has refused to say how he will vote on the Bill
It shows initial support for the Bill is highest among 45-54 year olds with 83 per cent of those surveyed in favour of it.
Meanwhile, the lowest level of initial support was found to be among people aged 18-24 at 69 per cent.
The poll also found that two thirds of Scots oppose assisted suicide when they consider how it operates in practice and think about the arguments against it.
The pollsters said that support for assisted suicide among the general population falls to just 19 per cent when those taking part were presented with 10 arguments against assisted dying, including facts about how it operates overseas.
The study found that among those who initially support assisted suicide, only 25 per cent continued to do so after considering the arguments against.
Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing which is spearheading opposition to the legislation said the results show the public ‘have genuine fears’ about the Bill.
He added: ‘This shows that most people have no fixed views on the matter and are deeply troubled by its consequences.’
The news comes after SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray refused to reveal how he will vote on the Bill.
He will not make his views known publicly until after MSPs vote for the first time on the issue.
The private member’s Bill lodged by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur has so far failed to win public backing from a single member of John Swinney’s Cabinet.
The First Minister has also said he intends to make his own personal views known on the issue in the coming days, before the Stage One vote to decide whether the Bill will continue to proceed through parliament.
Mr Gray had said: ‘As I’m the lead minister for the Bill, I’m going to be following the government’s position, which is of neutrality.’
Three previous attempts to legalise assisted dying in Scotland have failed to secure enough support from MSPs.
Asked about his own position on Thursday, Mr Swinney said: ‘I have got views on that and I will set them out in due course.’
Mr Swinney, who has previously spoken of his ‘deep Christian faith’ and voted against the Assisted Suicide Scotland Bill in 2015, said he intends to make a ‘public statement’ on the issue before the Stage One vote, and added: ‘It will obviously be my individual view.
‘I appreciate I’m the First Minister but it will be my view, I will have one vote on this issue and I will make clear my view.’
In order to proceed to Stage Two, the Bill would need to secure majority support among the 129 MSPs on May 13.
