Youth Poisoning Protection Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 4310, the Youth Poisoning Protection Act.

This legislation is necessary because, sadly, online forums are providing detailed instructions and real-time guidance on how to die by suicide by consuming just a small amount of sodium nitrite.

As a result, over the past few years, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown a sharp increase in the rise of self-poisoning using sodium nitrite.

H.R. 4310 would ban the sale of highly concentrated sodium nitrite to consumers in order to help prevent it for this use. Experts have made it clear that there is no good reason for consumers to purchase this product at such high concentration.

This bill is an important step in ensuring that lethal levels of sodium nitrite stay out of the hands of those who will use it to harm themselves.

I commend the sponsor of this bill, Representative Trahan, from our committee for her leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to support this bill. I think it is pretty obvious why this bill is so important.

I want to thank the sponsor again, Mrs. Trahan, for bringing this up because it will save lives.

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