Strong support for Dr Nitschke | Coffs Coast News | Local News in Coffs Coast

Poll

Should voluntary euthanasia be legal?

This poll ended on 02 August 2009.

Yes

79%

No

20%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

WHEN voluntary euthanasia campaigner Dr Philip Nitschke steps on to the stage of the Cavanbah Centre at 1pm today, he can expect a receptive audience.

Our street poll on the subject yesterday confirmed most people conditionally supported the controversial issue.

“It is a changing field and there is a lot of new information available,” Dr Nitschke said.

With his banned book The Peaceful Pill now available only online, the director of Exit (Australia) said they had to make changes every few weeks, as overseas agencies closed down sources of the barbiturate Nembutal, currently the preferred drug, which is not approved for human use here.

“I will be devoting quite a bit of time to the test kit we have developed, because when people get this drug they stop worrying,” he said.

The test kit allows them to establish the quality of the drug which is sourced from overseas. He said there was increasing evidence of people openly and publically making statements in support, although politicians 'tend to run for cover on this issue'.

Dr Nitschke said the high-profile case of 71-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer Graeme Wylie 'would have been a whole lot different if Graeme had got his act together and obtained his own drug.'

He said others could benefit from the case, avoiding the risk of a decade in prison for helping someone to commit suicide.

Mr Wylie died in Sydney last year assisted by his partner, leading to the conviction of two women.