Physicians are calling for stricter regulation of sodium nitrite as more Canadians die from deliberately ingesting unsafe amounts of sodium nitrite in its pure form.
Sodium nitrite is a synthetic hardening salt, not to be confused with natural sodium nitrate. It is often used to preserve meat, but can be lethal in certain amounts. Forensic pathologists say people who intend to harm themselves have been buying online following advice they found on suicide-promoting forums for several years.
According to his 2021 study, a scientist with the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OFPS), he will have at least 23 more people in Ontario in 2019 and 2020. of sodium nitrite poisoning deaths.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Tyler Hickey, reported to CTVNews. It told ca that "nearly all" of these deaths had been determined to be intentional.
Hickey faced his first death from sodium nitrite poisoning in 2019. At the time, he was working as a forensic pathology researcher in Toronto.
"Prior to that, I don't know if I knew these substances were being used in this way," he told his CTV News. told ca.
Part of Hickey's job as a forensic pathologist is to monitor how people die and share that information with the public health system.
"I read some more on this topic and the first few cases when I realized that there seemed to be newer and more novel ways for people to end their lives," he said. Told. Read on to learn more about these support groups.
The first case of intentional death from sodium nitrite poisoning discovered by Hickey was recorded in New Zealand in 2010. From 2015 he occurred between 2020 and most of it occurred from he 2019 to he 2020. National figures for Canada are not available because the country does not collect national data from coroners, coroners, or poison centers on sodium nitrite poisoning.
However, based on what Hickey has seen so far, he believes the trend is on the rise.
Because of its availability through online vendors and consumer marketplaces such as Amazon, sodium nitrite has been promoted for several years in online communities that support suicide, such as the one Hickey discovered.
Sodium nitrite is a permitted food additive in Canada and is subject to food and drug regulations to ensure safe consumption levels. But Hickey believes that legislators should weigh its value as a readily available food preservative against its dangers.
"One of the questions that needs to be asked is the value of [sodium nitrite] being freely accessible for certain uses, rather than its value to society if people are using sodium nitrite." "And it's probably more important than the dangers that can start to occur in Canada because of the way you're hurting yourself," he said. Both require limits on accessibility.”
There are no regulations in Canada prohibiting individual consumers from purchasing sodium nitrite for its intended use or for self-harm. There is none.
Dr. Alok Raj Atreya would like to see that change.
Atreya is an Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in Nepal and co-author of the Case Report published in April 2021, ingesting purchased sodium nitrite. He concerns a 37-year-old man. from Amazon. He believes governments around the world should put up regulatory barriers between the average consumer and sodium nitrite, and manufacturers should take responsibility for the safe distribution of food preservatives.
"It's a sad state of affairs that sodium nitrite is readily available over-the-counter," Atreja told his CTV News in an email. Speaking to ca, he added that the compound should be treated with the same regulatory attention as antibiotics and opioids. A pain reliever that is not sold without a prescription.
He said other approaches to restricting access include allowing it to be sold only to companies and industries that use it for food processing. Require distributors to maintain information about individual purchasers and purchase volumes in a database. By asking the purchaser to complete a questionnaire, "warning of its harmful potential and screening of the purchaser for suicidal tendencies."
In some countries, sodium nitrite barriers to access and exposure of For example, the UK lists sodium nitrite as a 'declarable substance'. This means sellers will have to report questionable purchases to authorities, and France is gradually reducing nitrites in food.
When asked what Health Canada was doing to address intentional sodium nitrite poisoning, officials said in an emailed statement that its focus was on mental health and He said it was about promoting health. It also provided guidance to hospitals on how to treat sodium nitrite poisoning, for example, by administering a fast-acting antidote known as methylene blue.
For NDP MP Gord Johns, that's not enough. Johns agrees with Atreya that the federal government should consider a regulatory response to this issue.
"We need to make it harder for people to access firearms, sodium nitrite, and other methods [of suicide] that can easily cross points of no return," said Mr Johns, a party critic. .
“Also, Canada does not collect comprehensive data on sodium nitrite poisoning, so the number of sodium nitrite poisonings may be underestimated. It's something we should look into and [this] could go to the board of health."
Johns most wants to see the federal government support mental health. , to act quickly on a promise to address the root causes of depression and self-harm.
The government has not submitted his 2018 motion by NDP MP Charlie Angus to create a national suicide prevention action plan. The motion was supported and passed unanimously by the Liberal Party. } In its Progress Report, the Federal Government stated that it was “supporting the development of an Action Plan highlighting current Federal initiatives in suicide prevention” and would provide updates on the progress of the Plan every two years. said to provide information.
Regulation and Litigation
In the United States, bereaved families have used litigation to demand more accountability from companies that manufacture or sell sodium nitrite. doing.
His Texas resident Ruth Scott made an Amazon purchase earlier this year after his son Mikael died in late December 2020 from an intentional sodium nitrite overdose. filed a lawsuit against
C. A. The Goldberg Victim Rights Law Firm alleges that Mikael purchased the chemicals on Amazon after learning about them on a suicide forum. It was his mother who found him returning home from work as a nurse on December 27, 2020.
Scott said he tried to inform Amazon several times after his son's death. Eventually, according to the lawsuit, she received a response from an employee named Marvin.
"Sorry for the inconvenience caused by the sodium nitrite. Sorry for the inconvenience." It is in the hands of our God." "
Scott's lawsuit alleges that Amazon knew or should have known that it was selling sodium nitrite to customers who attempted suicide using it, and that the chemical It claims that it did not provide adequate warning about the substance.
"Nowhere on the bottle or on Amazon does Amazon state that ingestion of its products can cause long-term and painful death." I have not informed the person.”
The lawsuit also provides images showing what the website has proposed.
CTV News. In an email to ca. Amazon Inc. a spokesperson said the company complies with applicable laws and regulations. Additionally, when you search for the word "suicide", a banner appears at the top of the search results. As a result, you will see the phone number for Talk Suicide Canada.
"Our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones personally affected by the suicide," Amazon spokeswoman Samantha Boyd told her CTVNews. said in an email to ca.
"Regarding sodium nitrite, it is commonly used to preserve foods such as meat and fish, and can also be used as a reagent in laboratories. It is a product available, but unfortunately, like many products, it is subject to misuse.”
At the time this article was published, high concentrations of sodium nitrite were Although no longer appearing in the top search results on this site, salt mixtures containing up to 6.25% sodium nitrite are still listed for meat preservation purposes. According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, other online marketplaces such as Etsy and Ebayban this chemical
you or your If someone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation or mental health issues, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 (or 988 after July 16, 2022). or Canada's Talk Suicide 1-833-456-4566. The following resources are also available to support those at risk:
- Hope for Wellness Helpline (English, French, Cree, Ojibway, Inuktitut): 1-855-242-3310
- Embrace Life Council Hotline: 1-800-265-3333
- Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868