Coroner aims spotlight on dangers of helium

The suicide of a 23-year-old Wellington man has prompted a coroner to warn about the dangers of helium and recommend regulation access to the gas.

The young man killed himself on October 14, 2009 and his family found evidence on his computer that he had been looking up details how to commit suicide using helium gas, Wellington coroner Ian Smith said.

He suppressed the names of the man and his family.

The family had been aware of their man's depression but had underestimated the impact that it had on his psychological state, his father told the inquest.

His son had chosen to use helium to end his life and the lack of classifications of inert gases as a poison kept this substance under the radar.

The family said had they been more aware of helium as a form of suicide they may have been better positioned to act to save their son.

Guns were lethal, too, and the public in general knew not to abuse them, the father said.

The family thought society should not have to rely on ignorance to protect it, but rather raise awareness and control access to fatal material such as helium.

They believed a defence strategy should be founded on education and control, not ignorance.

Mr Smith said there were opinions that it was harmful to allow publications of particulars of suicide, as they could lead to "the copycat syndrome".

But he was critical of this approach, because within any community it didn't take long after an individual suicide for it to become aware of the event on the "bush telegraph", and ignite any copycat surges.

He believed that because the information was available to anyone able to use the internet, "the cat as they say is out the bag".

He was faced with the dilemma, that if he allowed publication, it could assist those people who were thinking of ending their lives, or it could help those who knew that a loved one was at risk and wished to be fully armed to notice the signs to attempt to avert a further death.

"My answer is that I believe in this day and age it simply is not possible to `cover up' any disclosure," Mr Smith said.

He recommended for the Minister of Environment to review of the Hazardous Substances and New Organism Act and the Environment Risk Management Authority of the classification of inert gasses, and helium in particular.

Helium should be classified as being hazardous/toxic, considering that it could be fatal when inhaled as it effectively stopped oxygen to the body which led to asphyxiation.

The Minister of Consumer Affairs should undertake a review regarding sale of helium gas to the public, in particular if there should be an age restriction for the sale.

Recreational sale of the gas should be in a container fitted with an irremovable restrictor valve.

The ministry should also consider adding a percentage of oxygen in helium supplied for party balloons, as was the practice in the United Kingdom, Mr Smith said.

- NZPA