Canadian assisted suicide rates surge 22 times higher than US

Canada’s lenient assisted suicide laws continue to attract scrutiny as the country faces a sharp rise in assisted suicide rates. A recent opinion piece published in the Vancouver Sun pointed out that the rate of assisted suicide in Canada is a striking 22 times higher than that of the United States.

Canada’s entire population is less than that of California, yet physicians or nurse practitioners have directly ended the lives of 31,664 individuals in the country between 2016 and 2021, according to the article. This number starkly contrasts with the figure of 3,344 individuals in California during the same time period.

Citing Professor Daryl Pullman, a bioethicist in the faculty of medicine at Memorial University, the Vancouver Sun article aptly noted the country’s soaring assisted suicide rate is indicative of “an ethic of individualism and personal autonomy over an ethic of mutual care.” 

In 2016, Canada legalized assisted suicide and, since then, has gradually implemented some of the most lenient laws in the world regarding physician-assisted suicide. In fact, a new law set to take effect in March 2024 will permit individuals with mental illness as the sole reason to qualify for physician-assisted suicide.

In particular, British Columbia has been center stage in the physician-assisted suicide debate in Canada. Not only were they leaders in country’s protracted fight to legalize assisted suicide, but they also appear to be embracing the practice with greater enthusiasm than other Canadians, Americans, and even Europeans.

But do Canadians really support the leniency surrounding physician-assisted suicide—especially when it comes to mental illness? According to a survey by the Angus Reid institute, the answer is “no.” The survey, which polled 1,816 Canadian adults at the end of January, found that only three out of ten Canadians support the notion of allowing patients to seek Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) based solely on mental illness.

As assisted suicide has become increasingly prevalent, the quality of palliative care in the country has suffered. Live Action News recently reported that there have been reports of individuals feeling pressured into choosing death, including veterans seeking PTSD treatment or those looking for basic medical supplies like wheelchair ramps. Furthermore, some people have felt forced to request MAiD due to poverty or prolonged wait times for necessary surgeries.

The Vancouver Sun article, citing Pullman’s work, calls for Canadians to prioritize compassionate care instead of opting too hastily for assisted death. And Pullman has emphasized the need to reduce the stigma surrounding receiving help and being dependent on others and emphasizes the importance of offering Canadians proper treatment options.

“While Canadian governments pay for an assisted death, Pullman says politicians won’t necessarily finance other medications, adequate housing, full-scale social and medical services or, perhaps most importantly, good palliative care,” the article stated.

Tragically, Canada’s rapidly increasing assisted suicide rates are sending a message that the lives of individuals with terminal illnesses, mental health conditions, and other concerns are not worth preserving. It’s time for Canada to prioritize compassion over convenience and provide better options for those who are suffering.

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