Renewed call for the banning of paraquat

THE EDITOR: In April 2018, I made a call through the pages of the newspapers for the banning or restriction of access to paraquat, known by most through its trade name Gramaxone.

It came after losing several young patients to suicide, where the choice of self-violence involved the deadly weedicide. It was not merely an emotional call, but I presented international data to support my appeal.

One month later, on May 29, it was reported that Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat acknowledged in Parliament that paraquat accounted for over 40 per cent of suicides in TT and that a proposal was in front of the Pesticides and Chemicals Board to consider the banning and importation of the herbicide.

More than a year has passed since then and regulation by this board has not yet arrived. In the public sector, after all, we are accustomed to lengthy periods for anything to be implemented.

On the other hand, in mere weeks, we saw the laying of law to decriminalise marijuana, its passing, and approval into legislation by the President. In my naivety, I had failed to realise that political will can make anything possible in a short time.

The banning of paraquat is but one step in a needed holistic plan for addressing medical health issues in TT. Most people do not realise that attempted suicides seldom involve the intention to die but are a cry for help. With a substance like paraquat, regretfully, the subsequent regret or support is of no consequence.

Apart from removing such a deadly means of self-harm, mental health needs proper attention. It must become more accessible to people who need it, and we need to teach our young people how to cope with the rigours of the 21st-century world roaring around us.

Sadly, as I write this letter, it is mere hours after losing yet another young patient to Gramaxone. It is my hope now that the message reaches the political directorate, who holds in its hands the ability to make a timely decision that can save the lives of many citizens. In issues of life and death, every delay can be costly.

DR VEDAVID MANICK

via e-mail