Press Releases

LOWELL, MA – Yesterday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) partnered with Congressmen Mike Carey (R-OH-15) and Joe Neguse (D-CO-02) as well as Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Curtis (R-UT), and Bernie Moreno (R-OH) to reintroduce the Youth Poisoning Protection Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban the consumer sale of products containing high concentrations of sodium nitrite, a meat-curing chemical that can be lethal when ingested.

“As a mom of two young girls, I’m committed to doing everything in my power to stop the devastating rise of youth suicide, one of the leading causes of death among teenagers in our country,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The Youth Poisoning Protection Act takes direct, decisive action to stop the online sale of sodium nitrite, a lethal chemical that is being marketed to vulnerable individuals as a means to end their own lives. This is a commonsense, lifesaving measure, and Congress must act now to protect our young people and prevent further tragedies.”

“Protecting our nation’s youth is crucial. The easy access of this harmful substance has resulted in senseless tragedies and has worsened the mental health crisis among America’s youth,” said Congressman Carey. “I am proud to work alongside Reps. Trahan and Neguse, and Sens. Duckworth, Curtis, and Moreno on this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to keep these deadly poisons out of the hands of our children.”

A 2021 New York Times investigation into an online suicide forum found that sodium nitrite was being popularized and encouraged as an easily accessible method to die by suicide. The forum, which is disguised as a safe place to discuss suicidal ideation, hosts threads where anonymous users provide detailed instructions and real-time guidance on how to die by suicide using sodium nitrite. A 2021 toxicology publication based on data from the National Poison Data System (NPDS), one of the data sources used by the CDC, points to a rise in self-poisonings using sodium nitrite in the United States since 2017.

There is no known recreational use for highly concentrated amounts of sodium nitrite, but at the time of the Times’ investigation, highly concentrated amounts of the poison were widely available on multiple e-commerce platforms, including with free two-day shipping on Amazon. Following outcry from lawmakers and victims’ families, Amazon and a number of other online marketplaces began removing sodium nitrite listings. In May 2023, a Canadian citizen was arrested and charged for shipping packages containing lethal amounts of sodium nitrite to over 40 countries, including 272 sales to individuals in the United Kingdom, of whom at least 88 people died.

The Youth Poisoning Protection Act bans the sale of consumer products with a concentration of sodium nitrite greater than 10 percent.

During her time in Congress, Trahan has consistently championed initiatives to address the mental health and youth suicide crisis. In 2022, she secured passage of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act into law to support and strengthen youth suicide prevention efforts in schools across the country. This January, she reintroduced the Mentoring to Succeed Act, bicameral legislation that aims to provide a strong, sustainable support system through mentorship to ensure that children can successfully transition to high school, college, and the workforce. The same month, she was recognized as a congressional leader in the fight against the youth mental health crisis through her appointment as Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, a bipartisan group of members of Congress focused on ending the addiction crisis.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, feeling at risk of suicide, or experiencing a state of distress, it is crucial to find help immediately. There are many resources available, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline which provides free, confidential support 24/7, and the Crisis Text Line which offers free crisis counseling 24/7. Dial 988 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with these services.

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