Having lost my brother to suicide in 2019, I spent many months searching for answers on the “how” and “why” questions.  My brother used a deadly sodium nitrate cocktail that he learned how to make on a popular suicide forum, billed as quick and painless, and easily obtainable through Amazon. 

Opening open today’s trending news online, one of the headline stories read “Former child star Matthew Mindler intentionally overdosed on sodium nitrate.”  Suicide by sodium nitrate rates have increased dramatically due to the misconception of painlessly dying, but it is anything but, often culminating in the most excruciating pain possible according to the few survivors.  

A simple internet search easily reveals sodium nitrate also is easily purchased online, most notably through Amazon, despite past legislation preventing domestic sales.  Sadly, several pro-suicide forum websites encourage members to purchase this dangerous ingredient since it is easily obtainable and anonymous online.

If successful, this petition for removing sodium nitrate products off the Amazon store would prevent countless future suicides of friends, family and loved ones.  

References: https://suicide.wiki/w/History_of_Sodium_Nitrite_and_Sodium_Azide_Suicide_Methods#:~:text=By%2010%20March%202018%2C%20suppliers%20of%20sodium%20nitrite,it%20to%20kill%20herself%20on%2022%20February%202018