This Substance Found in Ham... Designated as a 'Suicide Means'

Suicide Using Sodium Nitrite, 46 Cases in 2021
Reported as a 'New Suicide Method' in Australia and Japan

'Sodium nitrite,' mainly used as a preservative and color fixative in processed meats such as ham and sausages, will be designated as a suicide hazard substance.

Image unrelated to the article content. [Photo by Getty Images Bank]

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 7th, a revision notice has recently been administratively announced to additionally designate substances that cause toxic effects by antidotes and chelating agents not classified elsewhere, such as sodium nitrite, as suicide hazard substances.

Based on the Suicide Prevention Act, the government designates and manages 'substances frequently used as means of suicide or substances with a significant risk of being frequently used as means of suicide in the near future' as suicide hazard substances.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that it will partially revise the notice to proactively respond to the increasing trend of suicides caused by sodium nitrite poisoning.

Sodium nitrite is a white powder additive used in very small amounts for preserving processed meats, and it has recently been reported as a new means of suicide in countries such as Australia and Japan. Ingesting just 4 to 6 grams can be fatal.

Sodium Nitrite Suicides Surge from 0 in 2018 to 46 in 2021

Image unrelated to the article content.
Photo by Pixabay

Suicide deaths caused by sodium nitrite poisoning are also increasing domestically. By year, the numbers are ▲2017 (0) ▲2018 (3) ▲2019 (11) ▲2020 (49) ▲2021 (46).

The Ministry of Health and Welfare expects that this revision will prevent the sale and use of sodium nitrite online for suicide purposes and reduce actual suicide deaths involving sodium nitrite.

Previously designated suicide hazard substances include three categories: substances causing carbon monoxide toxicity effects such as 'Bunghaetan' (charcoal briquettes), substances causing toxic effects of herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides such as 'pesticides,' and substances causing toxic effects by antiepileptic drugs, sedatives, hypnotics, and antiparkinsonian drugs such as 'zolpidem.'

The Ministry plans to collect opinions on the revision until the 15th, and after review by the Suicide Prevention Policy Committee, complete the designation of sodium nitrite as a suicide hazard substance within the year.

※If you have difficult-to-talk-about concerns such as depression or if your family or acquaintances are experiencing such difficulties, you can receive 24-hour expert counseling at the Suicide Prevention Hotline 1577-0199, Hope Call 129, Lifeline 1588-9191, or Youth Phone 1388.