Nearly three out of four Massachusetts voters (73%) support a bill to allow terminally ill adults the option of medical aid in dying to peacefully end unbearable suffering, and nearly eight out of ten voters (79%) support the bill after they learn about its safeguards, according to a new poll released Wednesday.
The survey conducted by Beacon Research March 13-21, 2023, is the first poll on this issue to measure support among several key constituencies, including Catholic voters, self-described “pro-choice” and “pro-life” voters on abortion, and voters living with disabilities. Majority support for passing Massachusetts medical-aid-in-dying legislation, the End of Life Options Act, spans the age, geographic, political, race, religious and reproductive rights spectrums.
Sponsored by Senator Jo Comerford, Representative James O’Day and Representative Ted Philips, the End of Life Options Act (H. 2246/S.1331) would allow mentally sound, terminally ill adults the option of obtaining prescription medication they could decide to take to gently end unbearable suffering. Medical aid in dying is an option for terminally ill adults in neighboring Vermont and nearby Maine, as well as eight other states, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana (via a state Supreme Court ruling), New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Washington, D.C.
“Gov. Healey supports legislative action to allow medical aid in dying, provided it includes sufficient safeguards for both patients and providers,” her spokesperson told CommonWealth Magazine on Feb. 26. A 2017 internal survey of Massachusetts Medical Society members showed they support the End of Life Options Act by a 2-1 margin: 62 percent support vs. 28 percent oppose (see page 9 chart here).
The memo from Beacon Research summarizing the poll results is available: view here.
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