Public support for choice in dying legislation has grown even stronger in the days since the planned death of 29-year-old brain cancer patient Brittany Maynard, a new HealthDay/Harris Poll has found.
An overwhelming 74 percent of American adults now believe that terminally ill patients who are in great pain should have the right to end their lives, the poll found. Only 14 percent were opposed.
Broad majorities also favor physician-assisted suicide and physician-administered euthanasia.
Only three states — Oregon, Washington and Vermont — currently have right-to-die laws that allow physician-assisted suicide.
“Public opinion on these issues seems to be far ahead of political leadership and legislative actions,” said Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll. “Only a few states have legalized physician-assisted suicide and none have legalized physician-administered euthanasia.”
People responded to the poll in the weeks after Maynard took medication to end her life in early November.
