Legalising assisted suicide in Scotland would have a “damaging effect on society” a group of cross-party MSPs have warned.
In a letter to a national newspaper they said the Government should be working to reduce suicide rates, not increase them.
Their challenge follows a call from pro-assisted suicide MSPs for a change in the law.
‘Mixed messages’
The MSPs opposing assisted suicide include Scottish Conservative Murdo Fraser, the SNP’s John Mason, Labour’s Elaine Smith, Scottish Lib Dems’ Mike Rumbles and five others.
They noted that the Government has a suicide prevention strategy and any attempt to promote or legalise assisted suicide would place it “in danger of sending out mixed messages”.
“Society should be preventing suicide, not assisting it”, they said.
“Have we really become a society that says the best answer we can provide to those suffering in end-of-life situations is to help them kill themselves?”
‘Risks’
Previous attempts to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland have been rejected by Holyrood, but lobby groups continue to push for a change in the law.
Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing, said MSPs have previously realised the “risks of legalising assisted suicide” are too high.