Officials highlight Poison Centers amid National Poison Prevention Week

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Officials have highlighted the benefit of poison centers in Kansas as they save time, worry, lives and money during National Poison Prevention Week.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says Governor Laura Kelly recently issued a proclamation to begin National Poison Prevention Week in the Sunflower State. The Poison Center at the University of Kansas Health System and Safe Kids Kansas wanted to take the time to remind residents that Poison Centers are ready all day every day with fast and free advice.

The KDHE indicated 2023′s theme for National Poison Prevention Week is Poison Centers - When Poison happens, we’re here for you.

According to the KDHE, not everyone realizes Poison Centers are for everyone. While they get more calls about children, calls about teens, adults and seniors tend to be more serious. More than half of the calls made to the Center in 2022 involved medicines or pharmaceuticals.

However, the Department noted that other common poisons include household products, plants, mushrooms, pesticides, animal bites and stings, carbon monoxide and many other nonpharmaceutical substances.

“The best piece of advice we can give is to program the Poison Help number, 800-222-1222, in your phone and post it visibly in your home. This way you are prepared in the event of a poisoning emergency or simply have questions,” said Stefanie Baines, education coordinator for the Kansas Poison Control Center.

The KDHE listed the following ways Poison Centers save time, worry, lives and money:

Time
- When seconds count, calling a poison center is faster and more accurate than an internet search.
Worry
- Nurses, pharmacists and doctors answer calls made to poison centers. They can help in more than 150 languages. Doctors and hospitals also turn to poison centers for help every day.
Lives
- Whether it is a question or an emergency, Poison Centers provide life-saving information when needed the most.
Money
- All calls are free. More than 70% of those who call get the help they need right where they are which saves the cost of the trip to the doctor or hospital.

“It is also important to know Poison Centers are not just for emergencies. You can call anytime from anywhere in the nation for information or advice from local experts,” said Cherie Sage, state coordinator for Safe Kids Kansas.

If anyone believes they may have been poisoned, they should call 800-222-1222 immediately.

For more information bout preventing accidental poisoning, click HERE.