Euthanasia around the World essays

Euthanasia around the World essays Some countries that have addressed this issue are: Australia: Their Northern Territory passed a law on 1995-MAY-25 which was assented to on 1995-JUN-16. 1 It permitted active euthanasia, under careful controls, when certain prerequisites are met. The Northern Territory consists of about 1/6 the land mass of Australia but only has a population of about 168,000 people. The law started as a private member's bill Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill 1995, sponsored by Marshall Perron. It was opposed by the Australian Medical Association and a variety of right-to-life groups. A "conscience vote" was allowed in which members were free to vote independently of party discipline. The original name was preserved. The law is called the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. It went into effect on 1996-JUL-1. Similar bills were introduced in other Australian states. A survey conducted by Newspoll in 1995-JUL found 81% of Australian adults support voluntary euthanasia. This is an increase over an earlier result of 79% in 1994-JUL. A poll by the Roy Mo rgan Research Centre in 1995-JUN showed similar results: 78% in favor. This is an increase from 66% in 1986. A separate poll showed that 60% of doctors and 78% of nurses in Victoria favored voluntary euthanasia. An additional poll was taken among 6500 Christian congregations, representing 19 denominations. They found that 40% agreed with assisted suicide for terminally ill persons; 30% opposed; 30% uncertain. Among older church attendees, support was higher (50% among those 60 and older). Bob Dent, 66, was the first person to take advantage of the new law. He had moved to the Northern Territory as a Church of England (Episcopal, Anglican) missionary. He became disillusioned with politics within the church and left his calling to become a building estimator. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1991, and converted to Buddhism shortly afterwards. He wrote a letter saying "If you disagree with voluntary euthana...