Poll: Doctor-assisted suicide divisive

PRINCETON, N.J., May 31 (UPI) -- Doctor-assisted suicide was the most controversial cultural issue in Gallup's 2011 Values and Beliefs poll, results indicated.

Respondents were divided 45 percent to 48 percent about whether it was morally acceptable or morally wrong for physicians to help people die, Gallup said Tuesday.

Having a baby out of wedlock and abortion also closely divide Americans, the poll indicated, while stronger public consensus was found on 14 other issues surveyed.

The three most controversial issues -- doctor-assisted suicide, abortion, and out-of-wedlock births -- were separated by fewer than 15 percentage points between participants who said they considered the issue morally acceptable from the percentage considering it morally wrong, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.

At least 8 in 10 U.S. adults interviewed in the survey said extramarital affairs, polygamy, cloning humans and suicide were wrong, while least six in 10 people surveyed said pornography and cloning animals were morally wrong, results indicated.

Widest agreement about what is morally acceptable, ranging from 60 percent to 69 percent, was found for divorce, the death penalty, gambling, embryonic stem cell research and premarital sex. At least 55 percent said medical testing on animals, gay-lesbian relations and using animal fur for clothing also were acceptable.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews of 1,018 adults conducted May 5-8. The margin of error for the total sample is 4 percentage points.