It’s National Poison Prevention Week, a good time to be reminded about keeping your family safe from being poisoned accidentally, such as by colorful packets of concentrated laundry detergent that look like candy to kids.
The NYC Poison Control Center hotline is available 24/7 on the phone with pharmacists and nurses certified in poison information, for treatment advice about exposures to poisons or questions about medicine safety. All calls are free and confidential. Translator services are provided in more than 150 languages. Call any time at 1-800-222-1222 or 212-POISONS (212-764-7667).
Here are more tips from the NYC Poison Control Center.
Keep packets of concentrated laundry detergent away from kids.
Because these small packets are colorful and squishy, they are attractive to children. Some young children have put these small packets in their mouths, thinking they are candy, and have become very ill. Learn more about the risks of these small detergent packets – and keep them safely locked away.
Bath Salts
Synthetic cathinones, or ‘bath salts’ are powerful drugs that can cause hallucinations and violent behavior. Learn more about the health risks of bath salts.
Synthetic Marijuana
Use of synthetic cannabinoids can cause dangerous health effects like psychotic episodes and seizures. Learn more about the health risks of synthetic marijuana, also known as K2.
Prescription Medicines
Pills also can look like candy to a child. Keep them out of reach. Discard medications past their expiration date, but do not throw them in the toilet, where they will dissolve into the city’s water supply. Learn more about safe disposal of prescription medications on this Food and Drug Administration page.
Online Training for Poison Prevention in the Home
This training provides an overview of the New York City Poison Control Center’s services and tips to prevent poisonings in the home. Topics include household products, medicine safety, plants and Carbon Monoxide. Educational materials can be downloaded for each topic area throughout the training, and you get a certificate after completion. The poison prevention training is FREE, and open to anybody, especially educators, injury prevention coordinators, parent coordinators, day care center staff, home visitors or others interested in children’s safety and health.
Educational information and materials are available free of charge in English, Spanish, Chinese, Creole, Russian and Korean. In addition, workshops focusing on poison prevention and medicine safety are provided in English, Spanish and Chinese. Please email nycpcc@health.nyc.gov with questions or for more information about community education programs.
Access the Poison Prevention in the Home training session.
Stay safe!
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