Support Among New York Voters
New York residents across the state consistently support medical aid in dying:
- Voters support “allowing doctors to legally prescribe lethal drugs to help terminally ill patients end their own lives” by a 2-1 margin (Quinnipiac University New York Voters Poll, May 2018).
- People of all faiths agree that “when a person is facing a painful terminal disease, it is morally acceptable to ask for a physician’s aid in taking his or her own life. ” (National LifeWay survey, 2016)
- Nearly three out of four Americans agree that “when a person has a disease that cannot be cured… doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient’s life by some painless means if the patient and his or her family request it.” (National Gallup Poll, May 2017).
- Clear majorities extend across lines based on respondents’ religious affiliation, level of education, political party enrollment, gender, age and region of the state. (Quinnipiac University New York Voters Poll, May 2018)
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Results were similar in 2015, according to survey by Eagle Point Strategies (commissioned by Compassion & Choices):
- Three of 4 New York voters (77%) think “when a mentally competent adult is dying from a terminal illness that cannot be cured, the adult should be allowed the option to request a prescription for life ending medication from their doctor, and decide whether and when to use that medication to end their suffering in their final stages of dying.
- Clear majorities extend across lines based on respondents’ religious affiliation, level of education, political party enrollment, gender, age and region of the state.
- Upon learning more about New York’s medical aid-in-dying legislation, including opponents’ arguments against it, support increased to 4 out of 5 voters (81%).
