Removing poisons from the home

More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to the 61 Poison Control Centers (PCCs) across the country. Over 90 percent of these poisonings occur in the home. The majority of non-fatal poisonings occur in children younger than six years old. And, poisonings are one of the leading causes of death among adults.  According to the CDC, more than two-thirds of emergency department visits are due to poisoning from prescription and over-the-counter medications — that’s more than double the rate of childhood poisonings caused by things like household cleaning products and plants.  In the last two years calls and emergency room visits have increased related to people ingesting synthetic marijuana products such as “Spice” or “K2.”
Fifty years ago the U.S. Congress established National Poison Prevention Week with President Kennedy’s signature.  March 20-26 is National Poison Prevention Week. 
Take some time to review the medicines and chemicals in your house.  Make sure that you use child-resistant packaging (they are not child-proof!), tighten caps after use, lock medicine cabinets, store chemicals out of reach of children, keep products properly labeled and in original containers, store household products separately from food and do not ingest anything that is labeled “Not For Human Consumption.” 
A simple review of your home can save a life … maybe your own.
You can call the Indiana Poison Control Center (toll free and confidential) at 1-800-222-1222 if you think that someone may have been poisoned or if you have questions.  If the person who is poisoned cannot wake up, is having trouble breathing or is having seizures call 911.  You can also get information at www.clarian.org/poisoncontrol or www.poisonprevention.org.
Also, watch for announcements about Jay County Tox-Away Days to discard unused chemicals and medications. 
The area hosts of the 2nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day are the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department in Celina, Ohio, and the Darke County Sheriff’s Department in Greenville, Ohio. 
The event will be held on April 30, 2011 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.
Nat Bryan, Meridian
Services Corp. and
member, Jay County
Drug Prevention Coalition[[In-content Ad]]