Canada

You do realize that it is added in low quantities to cured meats to make them safer? Don't believe it when the packaging says it is "Natural" or "No added Nitrites/Nitrates" either, that just means the producer used celery extract/juice instead which ends up as the exact same chemical.

It is one of the reasons why you should limit your ingestion of cured and highly processed meat products though.

The chemical isn't the problem, it's the dose. For instance, people have died from drinking too much water.

Sodium nitrite is used in cured meats to prevent botulism. I use half a teaspoon for 10 pounds of meat when I make sausage. It's safe enough, at least, safer than botulism. Those people ingested way more to kill themselves, fully aware of the consequences.

It's a tool. Like any tool, it can be used to harm, like knives, hammers or ropes. If we had to outlaw everything that could kill us, we wouldn't have much left ... Including water.

The other guy explained it well

Cyanide isn’t really something you should be giving people but you can buy apples with seeds anyway

You know where they are also found? Fruits and vegetables. Damn you mother nature!

"The dose makes the poison"

The dose makes the poison. The packages sold are used in meat curing, as others have mentioned. Mix a bunch in water and drink it, and it cures your blood. Not a very nice way to go, but pretty certain.

Say "I don't understand dosage" without using those words.

Oxygen is lethal in too high doses, FFS!

You know that it’s baking soda right ? A totally normal thing everyone has in their house. But too much of anything can be toxic. This in particular.