Swiss back 'suicide tourism'

Swiss voters have rejected calls to ban assisted suicide or to outlaw the practice for nonresidents.

Voters in Zurich voted by at least a four-to-one margin against the twin measures that had been advocated by political and religious conservatives.

Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, provided the helper doesn't personally benefit from a patient's death and the state currently witnesses around 200 suicides a year.

The Swiss government was attempting to restrict the growing trend of what has been dubbed ‘suicide tourism’, where foreigners travel to Switzerland every year to end their lives.

The vote has been welcomed by pro-assisted suicide groups around the world.

UK-based campaign group Dignity in Dying said Swiss voters had made a "brave decision" in rejecting calls to ban assisted suicide for non-residents.

But anti-euthanasia alliance Care not Killing said it was disappointed.