Scottish lawmakers reject assisted suicide bill

The Scottish parliament on Tuesday rejected a bill that would have legalized assisted suicide for terminally ill adults expected to live six months or less. The measure failed in a 69-57 vote, with one member abstaining and two members not voting, according to the Parliament’s website. Scottish Parliament member Humza Yousaf said he voted against the measure after hearing testimony from people who were in vulnerable medical situations, who feared it would allow people like them to be coerced into ending their lives.

Parliament rejected the bill despite a series of amendments intended to address some members’ concerns. Changes included a mandatory waiting period with in-person meetings, as well as the six-month prognosis threshold for eligible participants. A clause allowing conscientious objectors to refuse to participate in assisted suicide was removed during the amendments process, according to the Parliament’s website.

What does the bill’s failure mean for assisted suicide in Scotland? The bill can be reintroduced next legislative session. Dignity in Dying Scotland, an activist organization that advocated for the bill, said it would continue campaigning for the change. However, the measure’s failure may delay another attempt. Previous attempts to pass assisted suicide legislation in Scotland failed in 2010 and 2015.

Dig deeper: Read my report on a Canadian province’s bill that would ban assisted suicide for minors and those who suffer from mental illness.