Unintentional Poisoning – Keep Yourself and Others Safe

Every day, more than 80 people die from unintentional poisoning. Learn steps you can take to keep yourself and those you care about safe from unintentional poisoning.

On average, 82 people die each day as a result of unintentional poisoning; another 1,941 are treated in emergency departments. And the number of deaths is rising. Learn what you can do to reduce your—or a loved one's—risk.

A poison is any substance, including medications, that is harmful to your body if too much is eaten, inhaled, injected, or absorbed through the skin.

When the person taking or giving a substance did not mean to cause harm, this is an unintentional poisoning.

What You Should Know

• In 2007, a total of 29,846 people in the United States died from unintentional poisoning.
• Unintentional poisoning deaths are on the rise in the United States, increasing by 145% from 1999 to 2007.
• 93% of unintentional poisoning deaths are a result of drug overdose—most commonly from opioid pain medications such as methadone, hydrocodone, or oxycodone.
• In 2009, nearly 2,000 people a day—a total of 708,318 were seen in emergency departments because of poisoning. Nearly a quarter of these patients (156,613) were hospitalized or transferred to another facility for treatment.
• An estimated 71,000 children (18 years old and younger) are seen in emergency departments each year because of medication poisonings (excluding recreational drug use). Over 80% of visits were because an unsupervised child found and consumed medications.

Are You or Your Loved Ones At Risk?

While unintentional poisoning can affect people at all ages and from all walks of life, certain groups are at a greater risk of dying by unintentional poisoning:

• Men are twice as likely as women.
• Native Americans have the highest death rate, followed by Whites and then Blacks.
• People aged 45–49 are at the greatest risk.

What You Can Do

Keep yourself and others safe from unintentional poisoning

• Follow directions on the label when you give or take medicines. Read all warning labels. Some medicines cannot be taken safely when you take other medicines or drink alcohol.
• Turn on a light when you give or take medicines at night so that you know you have the correct amount of the right medicine.
• To avoid drug interactions, check with your doctor if you are taking more than one prescription medication at a time.
• Keep medicines in their original bottles or containers.
• Never share or sell your prescription drugs.
• Keep all prescription medicines (especially opioid pain medications, such as those containing methadone, hydrocodone, or oxycodone), over-the-counter medicines (including pain or fever relievers and cough and cold medicines), vitamins and herbals in a safe place that can only be reached by people who take or give them.
• Monitor the use of medicines prescribed for children and teenagers, such as medicines for Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD (SAMHSA 2006).
• Dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs. Follow federal guidelines for how to do this (ONDCP 2009). [PDF - 114KB]

Be Smart about Storage

• Store all medicines and household products up and away and out of sight in a childproof cabinet where a child cannot reach them.
• When you are taking or giving medicines or are using household products:
  • Do not put your next dose on the counter or table where children can reach them—it only takes seconds for a child to get them.
  • If you have to do something else while taking medicine, such as answer the phone, take any young children with you.
  • Secure the child safety cap completely every time you use a medicine.
  • After using them, do not leave medicines or household products out. As soon as you are done with them, put them away and out of sight in a childproof cabinet where a child cannot reach them.
  • Be aware of any legal or illegal drugs that guests may bring into your home. Ask guests to store drugs where children cannot find them.  Children can easily get into pillboxes, purses, backpacks, or coat pockets.

What to do if a poisoning occurs

1. Remain calm.
2. Call 911 if you have a poison emergency and the victim has collapsed or is not breathing. If the victim is awake and alert, dial 1-800-222-1222. Try to have this information ready:
   • the victim's age and weight
   • the container or bottle of the poison if available
   • the time of the poison exposure
   • the address where the poisoning occurred
3. Stay on the phone and follow the instructions from the emergency operator or poison control center.

Other Tips

• Do not call medicine "candy."
• Identify poisonous plants in your house and yard and place them out of reach of children or remove them.

 

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