Usually when you hear about poison, you probably think about chemicals such as lead or mercury- or products related to chemicals such as pesticides or cleaning supplies. Although those are, in fact poisonous, there are so many other products that fall under the same category that oftentimes slip people’s minds.
Examples can include:
- Prescription Medications
- Recreational Drugs (“Molly”, synthetic marijuana, spice, bath salts, etc.)
- Alcohol
- Carbon Monoxide
- Batteries
- Electronic Cigarettes or Vaping Devices
- Laundry Detergent Pods
- Aerosol Sprays ( e.g.,- air fresheners, gasoline, glue, hairspray, and spray paint)
What is a Poison?
A poison is basically any substance that can be harmful to your body. When misused or abused, prescription medicines can be one of those substances. Misuse and abuse of prescription medicines are definitely harmful to not only the physical state of a person, but their mental status as well.
Globally, there has been a rise in prescription drug misuse among teens and young adults. It has been observed that the most common issues with prescription drug misuse include:
- not following the labeled instructions that are provided with a drug, or
- taking these medications without having been directly prescribed by a doctor
Aside from the public, including family and friends, manufacturers, distributors, and the Department of Health and Human Services encourages the proper use of drugs, poisons and controlled substances.
Safety Tips
In order to be safe and prevent poisonings, here are just a few tips to follow:
➢ Store medicines and products in their original containers.
➢ Store household products in a different place from food and medicine.
➢ Use medicines safely and read the label before taking or giving them out. Follow
instructions exactly.
➢ Ask your pediatrician before giving any herbal medicine or supplement.
➢ Install a carbon monoxide alarm in every sleeping area of your home.
Save the poison control phone number in your phone in the event of an emergency. 1-800-222-1222 (U.S. only)
Add webPOISONCONTROL.org to get more information about poison control and prevention.
Remember that if you are ever in a life threatening emergency,
contact 911 immediately!
Sources for content:
https://www.poison.org/poison-prevention-tips-by-age/teens
https://www.samhsa.gov/homelessness-programs-resources/hpr-resources/teen-prescription-drug-misuse-abuse
https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/alcohol-and-drugs/aod-policy-research-legislation/aod-legislation/drugs-and-poisons-act
