The deadly click: How online pesticide sales endanger rural Chinese women
In this age where everything is available to purchase online, how do we prevent people from getting easy access to lethal substances? Chinese academic Zhang Tiankan looks at the issue of regulations and enforcement in online purchases.
On 13 January, it was reported that the 13-year-old daughter of a man surnamed Yang was poisoned after consuming diquat purchased online two months earlier; she passed away after 36 hours of emergency treatment at a hospital in Shenzhen.
After speaking to the media, Mr Yang, who works in Guangdong, hopes to get accountability from online shopping platforms and sellers for selling toxic substances to minors, to prevent more tragedies. At just 13 years old, his daughter Xiaoyu did not fully understand the dangers of this pesticide.
Widespread use of pesticides around the world
China is a major user of pesticides. According to the latest database from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global agricultural pesticide usage in 2022 was 3.7 million tons of active ingredients, marking a 4% increase from 2021, a 13% rise compared to a decade ago, and double the amount used in 1990. The average pesticide use per hectare of farmland was 2.38 kg, up 3% from 2021.
In 2022, Brazil was the world’s largest pesticide consumer, using 801,000 tons, about 70% more than second-ranked US at 468,000 tons. The next three countries were Indonesia (295,000 tons), Argentina (263,000 tons), and China (236,000 tons). The following five countries were Vietnam (162,000 tons), Canada (98,000 tons), the Russian Federation (97,000 tons), Colombia (78,000 tons), and France (69,000 tons).
Whether in China or other countries, the widespread use of pesticides (including insecticides and herbicides) puts people’s safety at constant risk, making it particularly important to manage safe pesticide sales and use. Pesticide safety management not only concerns the ease and accessibility of obtaining pesticides, which can lead to acute and immediate harm, but also the exposure to pesticide residues after use, resulting in chronic and indirect harm.
In the past, 75% of rural households kept pesticides at home, not specifically for suicide but for agricultural use. When disputes arose — such as arguments with a spouse — rural women would impulsively consume pesticides without much thought.
Thirteen-year-old Xiaoyu took her own life through the easy purchase of pesticides — an undeniable tragedy for both her family and society. Moreover, many children are unaware of the lethal toxicity of pesticides, mistakenly believing that their effects are limited to health issues such as nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. As a result, they purchase pesticides online with ease and consume them, leading to devastating consequences.
High suicide rate among rural women
China has already gained significant experience in preventing pesticide-related suicides. According to a study published in The Lancet in 2002, between 1995 and 1999, the annual suicide rate among Chinese women aged 15 to 34 was approximately 37.8 per 100,000, with rural women accounting for as much as 93% of the cases. In rural areas, the suicide rate for women was about 35.2 per 100,000 annually. However, by 2011, this figure had dropped to just 3 per 100,000 — a decline of over 90%.
The study identified several reasons for this decline. First, economic development and increased mobility allowed women to move more freely, especially to cities for work, reducing family conflicts that often led to suicide. Second, to mitigate toxicity, pesticide production methods changed to include dilution, reducing their lethal effects. Third, restrictions were placed on pesticide purchases, and rural households no longer stored pesticides as commonly as before.
In the past, 75% of rural households kept pesticides at home, not specifically for suicide but for agricultural use. When disputes arose — such as arguments with a spouse — rural women would impulsively consume pesticides without much thought. In such cases, 62% of individuals who attempted suicide by pesticide poisoning did not survive despite medical intervention.
Misconception that modern pesticides are harmless
Looking at Xiaoyu’s tragedy, she was misled. She told a friend that pesticides were diluted and would not be life-threatening. However, many pesticides, even when diluted, remain highly toxic.
The original price was 6 RMB, but after a discount, she paid only 3 RMB. This single 3-RMB bottle of pesticide ultimately cost Xiaoyu her life.
The herbicide she purchased, diquat, is chemically related to paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide that was banned in China in July 2016. Following the ban, diquat replaced paraquat and has since been widely used in agriculture.
However, many users mistakenly believe diquat is less toxic and therefore take fewer precautions. In reality, diquat, like paraquat, is highly toxic and has no effective antidote, with a high fatality rate. If a person ingests more than 12 grams, a systemic inflammatory response can occur within 24 hours, leading to multiple organ failure and death within 24 to 48 hours.
Between January 2019 and April 2022, Guangzhou’s 12th People’s Hospital treated 37 cases of acute diquat poisoning, of which 24 patients — more than 60% — did not survive despite medical intervention.
From this perspective, a more accurate and widespread scientific awareness campaign on the toxicity and harmful effects of pesticides is essential. Dispelling the misconception that modern pesticides are diluted and relatively harmless is crucial in preventing further tragedies.
Why is purchasing pesticides so simple and convenient?
At the same time, stricter regulation of pesticide sales is equally critical. Purchase records show that on the evening of 13 November 2024, at around 7 pm, Xiaoyu used her mobile number to order a 200g bottle of diquat from a certain online store. The original price was 6 RMB, but after a discount, she paid only 3 RMB. This single 3-RMB bottle of pesticide ultimately cost Xiaoyu her life.
Even when buying medicine online, there is a clear distinction between prescription and over-the-counter drugs, with the former being impossible to purchase freely. However, highly toxic pesticides, which pose direct threats to health and life, can still be easily bought online, which clearly reveals a regulatory loophole.
Why is purchasing pesticides so simple and convenient? Even when buying medicine online, there is a clear distinction between prescription and over-the-counter drugs, with the former being impossible to purchase freely. However, highly toxic pesticides, which pose direct threats to health and life, can still be easily bought online, which clearly reveals a regulatory loophole.
Despite existing laws prohibiting online pesticide sales without a license, China’s 2022 Five-Year Pesticide Industry Development Plan proposes allowing online sales with real-name registration and traceability management. This apparent contradiction raises questions about the future of pesticide regulation in the country.
Even more gaps
Xiaoyu’s father, Mr Yang, tracked down the seller of the diquat to an agricultural supply business in Xishan District, Wuxi, Jiangsu province. When he visited the store’s registered address, the legal representative listed on the business license told him that he was not the actual seller — someone else had borrowed his business license to operate the store.
This highlights serious regulatory gaps in pesticide sales. The ease with which business licenses can be “borrowed” points to a lack of oversight. Such practices are illegal, and those responsible must be held legally accountable when things go wrong.
In previous lawsuits involving the sale of diquat and other hazardous chemicals to minors, courts have consistently ruled that sellers or online platforms bear legal responsibility. A notable case occurred in Liaocheng, Shandong, in 2023.
... online shops, e-commerce platforms, and parents all share responsibility. However, many online stores and platforms currently do little more than display warnings such as “No effective antidote available”...
In April 2023, 15-year-old Xiaojia purchased a bottle of diquat from an online shop. She later consumed it at school and, despite emergency treatment, did not survive. Xiaojia had used her own mobile number to register the online shopping account and paid for the pesticide using an Alipay account under her real name.
The court found the seller 20% liable for not verifying the buyer’s identity and lacking authorisation to sell pesticides. The e-commerce platform was held 10% liable for inadequate oversight. Xiaojia’s legal guardians were responsible for the remaining liability.
This shows that online shops, e-commerce platforms, and parents all share responsibility. However, many online stores and platforms currently do little more than display warnings such as “No effective antidote available” and “Ingesting or engaging in any dangerous behaviour is strictly prohibited”, without actually verifying buyers’ identities.
Therefore, much work remains to be done, from ensuring that pesticide production prioritises low or non-toxic formulations, to enforcing real-name verification and strict identity and age checks in pesticide sales. If these issues are not addressed, more tragedies could occur in the future.
