Doctors call for action as growing number of Canadians dying from common food preservative – CTV

Aug. 11, 2022

Doctors are among those calling for tighter regulation of sodium nitrite as a growing number of Canadians are dying after intentionally ingesting unsafe quantities of the common food preservative in its pure form.

Sodium nitrite, not to be confused with naturally-occurring sodium nitrate, is a synthetic curing salt. It’s commonly used to preserve meats, but can be lethal when ingested in certain doses. Forensic pathologists say people with intent to self-harm have been purchasing it online following advice found in pro-suicide forums for several years.

Ontario saw at least 23 sodium nitrite poisoning deaths in 2019 and 2020, according to a study released in 2021 by scientists from the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OFPS).

Dr. Tyler Hickey, lead author of the study, told CTVNews.ca “almost all” of those deaths were ruled to be intentional.

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/doctors-call-for-action-as-growing-number-of-canadians-dying-from-common-food-preservative-1.6021556

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