In a survey unveiled this summer (1998), nearly two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government should not allow controlled drugs to be used for the purpose of physician-assisted suicide.
The poll, which was released by National Right to Life on the eve of a scheduled House vote on a bill that would allow the Drug Enforcement Administration to lift a doctor's license to prescribe drugs if the doctor prescribes fatal doses for the purpose of suicide, was conducted for the committee by the Wirthlin Worldwide polling group.
Among respondents, 64 percent said federal law should not allow the use of federally controlled drugs for "assisted suicide or euthanasia," 35 percent it should and 1 percent answered "did not know," the committee said.
Burke Balch, NRLC's director of medical ethics, said the poll was intended to counter a survey released in July by three groups that support assisted suicide.