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NEWS > BUSINESS > SWISS SUICIDE TOURISM ABOUT TO BE KILLED
SWISS SUICIDE TOURISM ABOUT TO BE KILLED
October 31 2009
Zurich, Switzerland – The Swiss have long been known for their genial nature, their picturesque architecture, and stunning landscapes. That beauty draws tens of thousands of tourists every year looking to indulge in a world that is almost a fantasy
world made real. That, combined with liberal laws and secretive banking, as made the country one of the most respected countries in the world. Now though, if lawmakers have their way, all of that is about to change.
Suicide Tourism has for years been one of the largest growth centres for the Swiss economy with thousands of people travelling to the country every year seeking out the benefits of their liberal assisted suicide rules. New legislation introduced to the parliament though will restrict the freedom with which visitors have been travelling into the country for their personal final solution, restricting travel to only the most demonstrably ill. Though the legislation has gained great traction amongst law makers, suicide doctors and clinics are less enthusiastic about the prospects of seeing their primary business model undergoing serious scrutiny and a likely serious decline in the number of paying customers passing through their doors.
“It won’t be possible in future for someone to cross the border and commit suicide a
few days later with the help of an organisation. I won’t tell you the specific waiting period because it must be decided on a case-by-case basis but these new rules should seriously increase the quality of tourists coming into the country even if it does result in a loss of sheer numbers,” said Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf. “Two options would be presented to parliament. Either clinics such as Dignitas and Exit, which deals chiefly with Swiss patients, will have to accept much stricter regulation or they will be closed down. We will require patients to present two medical opinions declaring their disease incurable, that death is expected within months and that they have made their decision of sound mind and fully aware of their options.”
The deliberation of the proposal will last to at least March, but already fervent opposition to the proposal has erupted across the canton which has long had the greatest number of suicide tourists.
“By cutting off assisted suicide for chronically or psychologically ill people who are
capable of informed choice the Government will promote lonely suicides on train
tracks. These proposals are outdated and patronising and will do nothing to cut the number of suicides, but will mean that more people will meet violent ends,” said Ludwig Minelli, founder of Dignitas, one of the leading suicide clinics in the country. “The Government fears that the cheerful Heidi-and-cowbells image is being tarnished by suicide tourists but nothing could be further from the truth. Suicide tourism has added a whole new dimension to tourism in the country and benefits not only the patients but the people of Switzerland. By introducing these new restrictions they are limiting the growth of the Swiss economy at a time when it can most ill afford to have that happen.”
Critics of the critics have noted that the majority of suicide tourists actually spend very little in the country as far as amenities go and are unable to make return trips, meaning that they actually only provide revenue to the clinics themselves.
“The real issue here is that the Swiss economy, like any economy is an ecosystem. A person visits, they rent a room, they buy meals, they go on tours, and they buy trinkets. They may not be spending a whole lot of money in one place but they spread dollars around. If they have a good time they come back another time, meaning the money continues to flow in. That’s how tourism really works and that is what suicide tourists do not provide,” said Scrape TV Business analyst Ken Green. “Of course many of these people aren’t going to suddenly start seeking out alphorns and Lindt truffles. They are kind of at the end and they will likely kill themselves one way or the other so they may as well get the dollars because if they don’t someone else will.”
There is a rival proposition that would require tourists from certain countries, mainly Eastern Europe, to commit suicide after entering the country but it is believed that legislation has little chance of succeeding.
William Ashford, Business Correspondent
NEWS > BUSINESS > SWISS SUICIDE TOURISM ABOUT TO BE KILLED
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