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Suicides by rice tablet poisoning increase in Iran

Society Materials 21 May 2018 17:22 (UTC +04:00)
At least 640 people in Iran have died as a result of poisoning with aluminum phosphide, known as rice tablet, during the last Iranian calendar year (ended March 20), Kambiz Soltaninejad, academic member of Iranian Legal Medicine Organization’s research center, said.
Suicides by rice tablet poisoning increase in Iran

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 21

Trend:

At least 640 people in Iran have died as a result of poisoning with aluminum phosphide, known as rice tablet, during the last Iranian calendar year (ended March 20), Kambiz Soltaninejad, academic member of Iranian Legal Medicine Organization’s research center, said.

Soltaninejad said the figure indicates an increase by 7 percent compared to the preceding year, ILNA news agency reported.

Aluminum phosphide (ALP) is a cheap solid fumigant and a highly toxic pesticide. Some Iranian traders reportedly use the tablets for grain preservation.

At least 134 death cases by rice tablets were registered in Tehran province, followed by Mazandaran (88 people) and Gilan (69 people) provinces, Soltaninejad ‎said.

The age range of people who use the tablets for suicide is mainly between 20 to 40 years, he added.

Some 36 of those killed were women, Iran's Legal Medicine Organization reported.

Starting from 2008 to 2012, about 2,000 people died in Iran due to poisoning from the rice tablet. The highest poisoning rate occurred among those of 20-40 years old. Most cases were registered as suicides.

Iran banned import of rice tablets in 2005. But, in September 2012, it was reported that the rice tablets were being imported illegally.

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