Switzerland “Suicide Tourism” Victims Have Treatable Conditions

They flock to Switzerland from all over the world, where groups like Dignitas arrange for their suicides to be assisted.   Technically, assisting suicide is illegal, but Swiss authorities only punish those who have “selfish” motives.  In practice, this means there are essentially no restrictions on suicides which are facilitated.

Author Penny Sarchet reports in her article in the New Scientist magazine that “Non-fatal diseases increasingly drive assisted suicide.”   “Neurological disease, only some of which are fatal, were given as the reason for 57 per cent of assisted suicides for the years 2008-to 2012….Rheumatic or connective tissue diseases, generally considered non-fatal …..accounted for 25 percent of cases in the new study….Cancer….was cited in 37 percent of cases …., a decrease of 10 per cent.”  

As observed from government reports from Oregon and Washington, this trend is also found in the United States.   Loss of autonomy and dignity rank as the highest reasons for requesting assistance with suicide in Washington State.