INTRODUCTION

In this issue of the Journal, there are reports on suicide in Japan (1–3) and a report on parasuicide attempts with Acetaminophen in Jamaica (4). This presents a timely opportunity to explore this major yet preventable public health problem. Suicide accounts for 1.4% of the Global Burden of Disease (5). The WHO projects that by the year 2020 approximately 1.53 million persons will die from suicide and another 10–20 persons will attempt suicide worldwide. In the United States of America, it was reported as the eleventh leading cause of mortality in 2004 and the third leading cause of death in persons in the age range 15–44 years globally (6, 7).