Suriname, a small country on South America's Atlantic coast, has one of the world's highest suicide rates, with most of those deaths linked directly to a single pesticide: paraquat. Widely used for weed control, paraquat is lethal in tiny amounts, has been tied to Parkinson's, has no antidote, and is found in most homes in rural regions. Emergency doctors say patients sometimes express regret after ingesting it, but little can be done to save them. Globally, pesticides account for more than 100,000 suicides each year, especially in agricultural areas of developing nations.
The danger isn't new, but only recently has the focus shifted toward regulating access to such toxic chemicals. Some researchers and advocates argue that banning or restricting the most dangerous pesticides, like paraquat, is a cost-effective way to lower suicide rates. Past efforts—including better medical responses, improved storage, and vendor training—yielded minimal results. However, nations such as Sri Lanka and South Korea saw dramatic drops in suicide rates—more than 70% in Sri Lanka—after banning paraquat and other hazardous substances.
Inspired by those results, the charity and research group Open Philanthropy provided $20 million to support global efforts to reduce pesticide-related suicides. Suriname imports hundreds of thousands of liters of paraquat annually, and officials face resistance to a ban from farmers. Some companies have already phased out paraquat, but many farms still depend on it.
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Officials admit enforcement resources are stretched thin, and mental health services are limited. "Those who face the greatest risk of exposure are vulnerable rural communities in tropical regions—farmworkers on large plantations and smallholder farmers who are already battling climate change to grow crops we love, like coffee, tea, and cocoa," says the Rainforest Alliance, which is among those pushing for a ban. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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