Book blamed for suicides

Press, 7 August 1982, Page 8

Book blamed for suicides

NZPA Paris A best-selling French book, “Suicide Mode d'Emploi” (How to commit suicide), based on advice given by the British association "Exit,” has already caused two deaths in France the police allege. Michel Fazilleau, 24, was found dead on Tuesday while holidaying at a camping site in western France after taking a huge overdose of mixed sleeping pills, and yesterday it was learned that . Patrick Bondy, 27, had committed suicide on July 18 by drinking a “poison cocktail” recommended in the book, which lay beside him. Alain Mor° a "" * l ' o ' ™<h.

lisher of the book which has already sold 40,000 copies, yesterday refused to withdraw it from sale because “it should be available to all those who want to kill themselves without using such horrible methods as a razor or a gun.” > “If there is going to be a court case, then the accused should not be the publisher but the situation which forces a young person to seek death,” he said. He predicted that in 10 years “suicide will be accepted as easily as abortion today.”. , . ; An average of 15,000 people commit suicide in France annually. There are 75,000 attempted suicides.