Keep in mind that correlation does not equal causation, there could be any number of reasons for the difference in suicide rates. In addition, the Japanese culturally tend to have different views on suicide than in western countries. I'll admit the data is intriguing though.

re"kidney damage"
I can't believe the Lithium in the water is high enough to induce kidney damage. It would be unpalatable to drink at such a high concentration.

That these municipalities have a lower suicide rate (with the assumtion the Lithium consumption level is related) brings into question the accepted CORRECT therapeutic blood Lithium levels in patients.

natural occuring low doses of lithium do not cause kidney damage...LITHIUM CARBONATE the pharmaceutical causes kidney damage...

trace lithium is routinely used in alternative medicine and a friend of mine who had kidney damage from Lithium Carbonate uses an over the counter low dose form (as opposed to trace amounts) called Lithium Orotate....has been for 5 years and carefully monitors his kidneys...no deterioration...

when you talk about actually spiking water, well, yeah, that's scary shit.

Well, 7-Up started out with Lithium in it. The important point is that lithium doesn't just sedate people who believe in the manic depressive chemical imbalance myth. It sedates everyone. The social control possibilities of all of this stuff are indeed scary. I do wonder about the incidence of kidney disease in that area though.

Studies on lithium's psychological effects are not new. There are older studies which shows correlations (not causations) between aggression and lithium levels in both animans and humans.

For an example see this old article.
http://www.townsendletter.com/Nov_2002/dietarylithium1102.htm

Dr. Pepper initially contained quite a bit of lithium, and was marketed as being good for the nerves. This is nothing new.

Yes the pros and cons still need to be weighed carefully. It is important to note that this study was done on naturally existing levels of lithium in the water suppoly in the Oita area of Japan. Some bloggers on other websites have misunderstood this as being some indication lithium is being added to the water supply in Japan, an assertion which is groundless in fact.

While the BBC report is well written there is also a good report on this from the Telegraph published on 30th April:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5251365/Natural-levels-of-lithium-in-drinking-water-help-reduce-suicides.html

For the orginal article in the British Journal of Psychiatry see:
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/abstract/194/5/464

Useful telephone number for Japanese residents of Japan who speak Japanese or English and are feeling depressed or suicidal:

Inochi no Denwa (Lifeline Telephone Service)：

Japan: 0120-738-556
Tokyo: 3264 4343

Tokyo English Life Line: 03-5774-0992

If this study is true, Philip is saying it's a BAD thing to reduce suicide because lithium creates a threat of "social control"?!

The very real kidney problem threat aside (and I do take Li personally, so I know), give me a break.

Australian Dr. John Cady discovered the qualities of Lithium as being beneficial for bipolar patients about 60 years ago. Lithium historically has been thought to have an anti-suicidal effect in such patients.

Larry,

You write: "If this study is true, Philip is saying it's a BAD thing to reduce suicide because lithium creates a threat of "social control"?!"

Larry, are you saying that to prevent suicide we should have a society so regimented and controlled that no one has the opportunity to commit suicide, i.e. we all live on a lock down psych ward, but at least maybe it will have a nice garden?

Or just that concerns about social control are not valid?

The government has no right to put anything that might affect people, especially mentally, in the water: They don't own it and has no right to force us to drink their sedatives.

If this is done, I can't see it stopping there.. What's next? Bromides? Oxytocin? Indeed it's scary stuff.