Legal decisions and public opinion informing the debate on assisted suicide.

ABSTRACT

This article examines the evolution of state and federal legislation and court opinions in the 1990s concerning treatment abatement and assisted suicide. The recent Supreme Court decision on assisted suicide is summarized, and its rejection of a recognized constitutional right to assisted suicide is explored. Additionally, surveys of the opinions of nurses, physicians, and the public regarding the permissibility of assisted suicide are evaluated. The contradictions between public opinion and some federal and state legislation are highlighted and discussed.