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WINNELLIE, Australia, May 27, 2004 (LifeSIteNews.com) – Australia’s “Dr. Death,” euthanasia campaigner Dr. Philip Nitschke, has expressed an intention to move his internet euthanasia services, EXIT Australia, to North America. The announcement comes as a result of new legislation drafted in Australia that would outlaw the use of the internet to educate people about the methods or provide the means for euthanasia.

The EXIT Australia web-site reveals that “EXIT North America will shortly be hosting on its web site information and discussion about voluntary euthanasia about to become illegal in Australia.”

EXIT currently offers several suicide devices, including the Exit Bag, a draw-string bag for suffocation; the COGenie, a face mask that dispenses carbon monoxide; and the Peaceful Pill, a suicide pill, from its web site. Nitschke also offers suicide “workshops” throughout Australia, instructing people on methods for taking their own lives. Although originally intended for the terminally ill, because of interest, healthy people are now also welcomed to participate.  The proposed legislation, the Crimes Legislation Amendment Bill 2004, is aimed at the prevention of proliferation of child pornography via the internet, but includes a section outlawing the provision of information via the internet that might be used by someone to commit suicide.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition’s Alex Schadenberg told CNSNews.com that Canada would be an unwise destination for EXIT. “In Canada, he’d find himself in trouble,” Schadenberg said, citing the case of a woman going to trial on charges of aiding two people to commit suicide via the internet. “If they catch you counseling either by word or by communication in any way, it breaks the law, and you’re subject to 14 years’ imprisonment” in Canada, he said.  Schadenberg emphasized that many suicidal people can find help for depression. “You want to help people – you don’t want people to kill themselves,” he said. “A caring society doesn’t do that to people.”  Read the CNSNews.com coverage, at:  https://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=%5CForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200405%5CFOR20040527a.html