A student that took her own life with a deadly dose of a substance she ordered through Amazon has prompted a warning. A coroner has warned the internet giant after Neha Raju, 23, went online to buy the substance, which is touted as a "suicide drug" on sick web forums.
Amazon did not directly sell the product, however Neha bought it from a Canadian firm, which is classed as a “secondary seller” using the website to advertise goods and process orders. The chemical, which is legal and used in food production, can be deadly in large quantities. Ten previous warnings have been issued by from coroners as it has been linked to at least 40 deaths in four years, reports the Mirror.
The Mirror is not naming the substance to prevent further cases. Neha was found dead at her lodgings in Guildford, Surrey, in April and her inquest recorded a verdict of suicide.
County coroner Anna Loxton contacted Health Secretary Therese Coffey this month to raise the issue with her report sent to both Amazon US and to the manufacturer of the substance in Ontario, Canada. Ms Loxton said the chemical was "freely available to be purchased from the internet in lethal quantities for delivery within the UK".
She also warned: "No protection is afforded to vulnerable people prior to them making such purchases. In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future death."
Victims’ families have made repeated calls to regulate the sale of the substance say the Government has had a slow response to the chemical they say is being used as a suicide drug.
Catherine Nihill's son Joe, 23, took his own life in 2020 after finding instructions on how to kill himself online. She said: "It is two years since Joe’s inquest and still this is going on. How many lives have been lost in that time?
"We’ve asked for the Government to block sites selling this drug in the UK. Germany, Australia and Italy have – why haven’t we?"
Amazon is currently facing a lawsuit in America from two families that have lost their children to suicide.
An Amazon spokesperson said: "We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones personally affected by suicide. Customer safety is a top priority at Amazon. We are committed to a safe shopping experience and require our selling partners to follow all applicable laws and regulations when listing items in our store.
"The substance in question is a legal and widely-available product offered by retailers to preserve foods, such as meats and fish, and for use in laboratories as a reagent. It is not intended for consumption, and unfortunately, like many products, it can be misused.”
The Department of Health and Social Care added: "Every suicide is a tragedy and we work with a range of experts to monitor and reduce access to means of suicide - including removing promotional material and providing clearer warnings of risk. Through the NHS Long Term Plan we will provide an additional £2.3 billion per year to mental health services by 2024 – giving two million more people the help they need – including investing £57 million so that all areas have suicide prevention plans to address the need of their populations."
