The Swiss: Regulate Killing, Don't Ban It

Ah yes, the good ol’ Swiss, they who are getting a little uncomfortable with the increasing numbers of foreigners coming to their pristine shores to kick the bucket. The answer? Why, more rules, policy, and bureaucracy, of course. Would never occur to them to think about outlawing assisted sucide.

Swiss official seeks crackdown on 'suicide tourists'

And in recent years, foreigners have been coming in larger numbers to die. A report by the Bloomberg news service says that Switzerland is the only country that allows doctors to help foreigners die (often via a large dose of barbituates). And it says that more than 25% of 380 assisted suicides in 2009 involved non-Swiss.

Now, former Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf wants to make assisted suicide more difficult by requiring the process be supervised by doctors who aren't affiliated with one of the country's four right-to-die organizations. And Zurich voters are due to decide in May whether to ban assisted suicide, the article says. more