National Poison Prevention Week

Harmful and even fatal poisonings affecting children, adults, and pets can be caused by the misuse of medications, cleaning products, cosmetics, plants, food and pesticides. Everyone is at risk for unintentional poisoning.

According to the Georgia Poison Center (GPC), more than two million poisonings are reported each year to poison centers nationwide, and in 2011 alone, the GPC handled over 77,000 poison exposure calls. 

Knowing what to do to prevent poisonings and knowing what to do when a poisoning is suspected is crucial.

National Poison Prevention Week begins today, March 18 and continues through March 24. This is a nationally designated week highlighting the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them.

provides the following poison prevention tips from the GPC. 

Poison Prevention Tips:

• Store medicines, vitamins, household cleaners, cosmetics, lawn and automotive products in locked cabinets out of the reach and sight of children.
• Use child resistant packaging and replace the lids tightly.
• Never take prescription medicine that belongs to someone else, even if you have the same symptoms.
• Never refer to medicine as “candy.”
• Read labels and follow the directions on all medicine and household product containers.
• Do not mix cleaning products.
• Teach children never to taste anything without an adult’s permission.
• Know the name of all the plants in your home.
• Install at least one carbon monoxide detector near the sleeping areas in your home.
• Never use an oven or gas stove to heat your home.
• Do not go near, tease or play with wild animals or strange dogs and cats.
• Do not pick up or move a sick or hurt wild animal.
• Keep the phone number to the Georgia Poison Center near all phones in your home or program the number into your phones.

If you suspect a poisoning, have any poison related questions, need poison prevention information or need poison prevention materials, call the Georgia Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.