Free Republic

Most Swiss are in favour of assisted suicide, and would also support direct active euthanasia – a practice currently outlawed. But a Zurich University survey into public attitudes on these issues – the first of its kind in the country - also found a lack of support for “death tourism” where foreigners come to Switzerland to end their lives.The results of the poll of around 1,500 people, which was published by the university’s Criminology Institute on Thursday, come as the government considers proposals to tighten legislation on assisted suicide. "The main finding is that the Swiss population is rather...

ZURICH, June 2, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Swiss Cabinet sees no need to tighten restrictions on assisted suicide, despite the fact that the country has become a favourite destination for "death tourism", and that Switzerland's leading euthanasia doctor has pledged to open a chain of for-profit killing facilities. Swiss Justice Minister Christoph Blocher announced Wednesday, that "the cabinet had come to the conclusion that [new legislation] was not necessary."Switzerland's legal situation is similar to that of the Netherlands, before the laws were liberalized. Switzerland officially prohibits euthanasia but looks the other way on assisted suicide. After growing numbers of...