YUCK! Poison Prevention Week

March 15-21 2009 marks National Poison Prevention Week. More than 2 million poisonings are reported to poison control centers each year. Most of these cases that are non-fatal occur among children under the age of six. National Poison Prevention Week was designed to inform the public about the prevalence of accidental poisonings in the home and elsewhere, and to shed light on ways to prevent such events from happening.
The Poison Prevention Week Council, which was established by Congress in 1961, provides a handy list of materials that discuss the dangers of various poisons – whether they be plants, medicines, lead or pesticides. Many of these materials are downloadable and most are free.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) also provides a list of publications discussing poison prevention. All of these can be downloaded. Check out the Center for Disease Control’s website for additional publications. They provide access to governmental reports on poison prevention. The website also includes a link to the CDC’s Podcast on poisonings. Finally, as summer draws near, adults, children and animals all have easier access to pesticides. Visit the EPA’s website on pesticide safety for more information.