Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 3
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Averagely two Iranians die every day as a result of poisoning with aluminum phosphide, known as "Rice Tablet".
Iran's Forensic Medicine Organization said that rice tablets killed 239 Iranians during March 21-July 22, a 6.7 percent rise year on year (Iran's calendar year starts on March 21), the country's Mehr news agency reported Sept. 3.
Aluminum phosphide (ALP) is a cheap solid fumigant and a highly toxic pesticide. Some Iranian traders reportedly use the tablets for grain preservation.
Some 99 of the dead were women, meanwhile 95 women die of "Rice Tablet" poisoning in the same period last year.
Within four mentioned months, the highest death toll was recorded in Tehran province with 89 cases, followed by Mazandaran province with 33 deaths, Gilan province - 29 people and Lorestan 13 people.
While the use of the "Rice Tablets" is prohibited in Iran, 661 people died in Iran in the past Iranian year, which ended March 20, 2014.
Starting from 2008 to 2012, 1909 people died in Iran due to poisoning from the "Rice Tablet", the highest poisoning rate occurred in the 20-40 age range. Most cases were registered as suicides.
Iran banned import of "Rice Tablets" in 2005. But, in September 2012, it was reported that the "Rice Tablets" were being imported illegally.
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