The evaluation of the times series of suicide over 15 years
(1996–2010) showed that there was a reduction in suicide using
firearms (preceding the Brazilian policy on disarmament, in 2003)
and an increase in suicide through hanging. Suicide by pesticide
ingestion has become the third most common method in Brazil.
Self-poisoning with pesticides has been the predominant cause of
suicides in several regions of the world, such as India, China, Sri
Lanka and others (London et al., 2005; Freire and Koifman, 2013).
Because of the increase in the use of this method, and the sharp
growth in pesticide consumption in Brazil, policies must be
established to restrict access to more toxic and lethal products, and
health services must be prepared to recognize and manage
pesticide poisonings (Bertolote et al., 2006).