A son who sat by his mother’s bed as she died has urged politicians to resist pressure to change the law on assisted suicide.
Martin Conroy, from Cockburnspath in Scotland, said that at no point during the difficult years of ill health leading up to his mother’s death would he have wanted her to take her own life.
Campaign group Care Not Killing (CNK) also recently warned that legalising assisted suicide would pressure vulnerable people to end their lives prematurely.
Vulnerable
In a letter to The Herald newspaper, Mr Conroy challenged the mindset that backs World Suicide Prevention Day whilst also advocating assisted suicide.
He said: “The truth is that assisted suicide gives the green light to hopelessness and despair. It sanctions suicide as a response to hardship and leaves the vulnerable more vulnerable – especially the disabled”.
He concluded that for the good of society, the law must “uphold life and protect the vulnerable”.
Pressure
Earlier this month, Richard Selley, 65, went to the Swiss assisted suicide facility Dignitas and recorded a video message calling on politicians to weaken the law.
uphold life and protect the vulnerable
Chief Executive of CNK Dr Gordon Macdonald expressed his sorrow at Mr Selley’s death and how it was being used to try to justify radical new legislation.
“Such a change in the law will put vulnerable people at risk of abuse and of coming under pressure to end their lives prematurely.”
He noted that Westminster and Holyrood have both rejected assisted suicide, in part because of concern over the absence of any genuine safeguards.
