• 750 East Adams Street • Syracuse, NY 13210

Poison PreventionNewsletter December 2010

Top tips to prevent poisoning this holiday season: • Keepalcohol,including

bakingextracts,outofreachanddonotleavealcoholicdrinksunattended.

• Coloradditivesusedinfireplacefiresareatoxicproductandshouldbestoredoutofreach.

• Artificialsnowcanbeharmfulifinhaled,souseitinawell-ventedspace.

• Mistletoeberries,HollyBerryandJerusalemCherrycanbepoisonous.Iftheyareusedindecorating,makesurechildrenandpetscannotreachit.

• Inapoisonemergency,callyourPoisonControlCenterat1-800-222-1222.

Reminder that National Poison Prevention Week is March 14-20, 2010In 1961, Congress established National

Poison Prevention Week as a national observation during the third full week of March. The week is intended to highlight the dangers of poisonings for people of all ages and to promote community involvement in poisoning prevention on a local and national level. The observance is coordinated by the National Poison Prevention Week Council, a group of public and private organizations, including Poison Centers, committed to reducing unintentional poisonings, promoting poison prevention, and coordinating annual activities.

Theholidaysareawonderfultimetodecorateyourhome;theycanalsosetthesceneforunintentionalpoisonings.Taketimetoreadwhatthedecorationsaremadeofandwheretheyareproduced.Manydecorationshavepaintsandotherchemicalsthatmightcontainhighlevelsofleadandcadmium.Cadmiumisaknowncarcinogenthat,likelead,candelaybraindevelopmentinyoungchildren,leadingtolearningdisabilities.Researchalsoshowsthatlong-termexposurecancausecancerandkidneyproblems.Children’sgiftsyoumaypurchase,likejewelryandchildren’stoys,can

containcadmium.ChinaisamajorproducerofproductsexportedandsoldintheUSincludingchildren’sproducts.Someofthemosttoxicproductsarechildren’scharmsandbracelets.WhileChinahasbannedmanufacturesfromusinglead,somemanufactureshavereplaceditwithcadmium.Childrendon’thavetoswallowcadmiumtobeexposedtoit.Achildwhoregularlysucksorbitesonanitemcontainingcadmium,putshimselfatahigherriskforatoxicexposure.BruceA.Fowler,atoxicologistandcadmiumspecialistattheU.S.Centers

forDiseaseandPrevention(CDC)warns,“There’snothingpositivethatyoucansayaboutthismetal.It’sapoison.”ItranksnumbersevenontheCDC’slistof275mosthazardoussubstancesintheenvironmentbehindarsenic,leadandmercury.Alcoholicbeveragesareoftenleftwithinthereachofchildrenduringthe

holidaycanbeaneasyopportunityforapoisonexposure.Topreventalcoholpoisoning,keepalcoholproductsoutofthereachofchildren.Teachyourchildrento“StopandAskFirst”beforetouching,tasting,smellingorputtinganythingintheirmouths.Enjoytheholidaysbutmaketheefforttokeepyourfamilysafe.Justincase,

programthenumberofthepoisoncenterintoyourphoneat1-800-222-1221orputapoisoncenterstickerormagnetonornearthephone.Ifyoudon’thaveapoisoncenterstickerormagnetcallthePoisonCenterhealtheducatorat315-464-5375today!Sources:http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2010/01/11/2010-01-11_toxic_lead_replaced_in_childrens_toys_trinkets_by_something_even_worse__cadmium.html#ixzz16s4UjEA4,http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/cercla/07list.html

Poison Proofing Your Home for the Holidays

Avoid Pet Poisonings

Program Your Cell Phone with the 1-800-222-1222 Poison Center NumberCellphonesareanintegralpartofmoderncommunication.Accordingto

astatementbyFederalTradeCommissionChairman,JuliusGenachowski,87%oftheUSpopulationhasacellphone.Giveyourselfthegiftof“peaceofmind”thisholidayseasonandprogramyourcellphonerightnow,withthenumberforthePoisonCenter,1-800-22-1222.WhenyoucallfromanywhereintheUSyouwillreachaPoisonCenterreadytohelpyou.

AccordingtotheAmericanHumaneAssociation,manyhouseholditemscanbepoisonoustopets.Themostcommonaretheingestionofmedications,foods,plantsandtoxinssuchascleaningandautomotiveproducts.Petpoisoningscanbeavoidedthroughsomesimpleprecautions.Medicationsusedtotreathumansymptomsarenotmeantforanimals.Nevergiveyouranimalamedicationformulatedforhumans.Productssuchasacetaminophen,aspirinproducts,birthcontrolpillsandvitaminscancauseinternalbleedinginyourpet.People Foods, Chemicals and MedicationsPeopleoftenmakethemistakeofthinkingthatall“peoplefood”

isokayforpets.• Milkisnoteasilydigestedbymostadultanimalsandcancausethemtodevelopdiarrhea.

• Bonescanlodgeinadog'spassagewaysorcanpunctureanintestine.

• Chocolate,especiallybakingchocolate,canbelethal.• Onionscandestroyadog'sredbloodcells,leadingtoanemia.• Rich,fattyfoodssuchasturkeyskinsorgravycancausepancreatitisandinflammationofadigestiveglandthatcanbeverypainfulandoftentimesserious.

• Grapesandraisinscanleadtolossofappetite,vomiting,diarrhea,abdominalpainandacuterenalfailureindogs,whichcouldresultindeath.

• Coffeeisalsodangerousforanimals,causingGIorcardiacproblems.• Nicotineisastimulantthatcanincreasetheheartrate,leadingtocollapseandevendeath.• Alcoholicbeveragesshouldbekeptawayfromanimalsatalltimesasitcancauseanirregularheartbeat,seizures,tremorsandevendeath.

• Catstendtobeattractedtounusualflavors,sokeepthemawayfromcalaminelotion,diaperrashointments,sunblockandanalgesicointments.Theseproductscontainanacidrelatedtothoseinaspirinandwillprovetoxicifingested.

Petsoftenhaveeasyaccesstocleaningandautomotiveproducts.Followthesameruleofpreventionwithpetsthatapplytochildren;safelystorechemicalsandautomotiveproductsupandoutoftheway.Locktheninacabinetwhenpossible.Ifyouthinkthatyourpethasbeenexposedtoapoison,callyourveterinarian.ForimmediatehelpcalltheASPCA

AnimalPoisonControlCenterat1-888-426-4435orThePetPoisonHelplineat1-800-213-6680.Sources:http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/,http://www.americanhumane.org/protecting-animals/adoption-pet-care/safety/pets-and-poisons.html

Carbon Monoxide (CO) COisaleadingcauseofpoisondeaths,especiallyin

thewintermonths.EveryyearPoisonCentershandlehundredsofcallsinvolvingcarbonmonoxide(CO)poisonings.Aswithmostunintentionalpoisonexposures,theyarepreventable.COisverydangerousbecauseitisapoisonousgasthathasnocolor,odorortaste.NearlyeveryhomehassomesortoffuelburningdevicethatcreatesCO.Thesedevicescanbecomedeadlywhentheyarenotworkingproperlyortheyarenotusedinaventilatedspace.Manyhomesaresealedinthewintertokeeptheheatinside.ThereforeCOgasoftencollectsinclosedspacessuchashallwaysandbedrooms.MostpeopleareunawarethattheyareexposedtoCOpoisoninguntilitistoolate.ThemostcommonsourcesofCOare:gasfurnaces,

gaswaterheaters,gasstoves,gasovens,kerosenespaceheaters,woodandgasfireplaces,wood-burningstoves,powergenerators,andcarengines.ThesignsofCOpoisoningaresimilartothesymptoms

ofthefluandsomecold-weatherviruses,includingheadaches,nausea,vomiting,dizziness,andconfusion.ThepeopleatthegreatestriskofCOpoisoningarepregnantwomen,infants,youngchildren,olderpeople,

peoplewithdiseasesthataffectbreathing,andpeoplewithheartdisease.Readingaboutprecautionscancreateawarenessbut

readingandtakingactioncansavelives!TopreventCOpoisoningsinyourhomeusethis

checklistasaguideandtakeactiontoday.• HaveatleastoneCOalarminyourhome.ThebestplacesforCOalarmsarenearbedroomsandclosetofurnaces.

• Haveyourheatingsystem,vents,andchimneycheckedeveryyearbyexperts.

• Alwaysfollowproductinstructionsforinstallingandrepairingappliancesthatburnfuel.

• Neverburncharcoalinsideahouseorgarage.• Neveruseagasoventoheatahouseorapartment.

• Neveruseunventedfuel-burningdevicesinahouseorapartment.

• Neverrunacarinaclosedgarage.

Synthetic Pot Peril – Poison and Young AdultsSyntheticcannabinoids—commonlyknownas“Spice,”“K2,”“Genie,”“YucatanFire,”“Sence,”“Smoke,”“Skunk”and

“Zohai”—havebeenusedasapopularlegalalternativetomarijuana.Untilnow,thatis.Atleasttenstatesoutlawedthedrugthisyear.Syntheticcannabinoidsarechemicallyengineeredsubstances,similartoTHC—theactiveingredientinmarijuana—that,

whensmokedoringested,canproduceahighsimilartomarijuana.Initiallyitwasdevelopedduringresearchrelatedtotreatmentofpain.Thedrugissprayedontodriedherbs,marketedas“noveltyherbalincense”orpotpourri,andthensmokedor

ingested.ItproducesahighsimilartomarijuanaandissoldinlocalconveniencestoresandovertheWeb.Althoughtheproductlabelsoftenread“notforhumanconsumption,”abuseofthesesubstancesappearstobeincreasing.TheAmericanAssociationofPoisonControlCentersreportsthat,asofSept.27,morethan1,503callshavebeenmadetoPoisonCentersforsymptomssuchasracingheartbeat,elevatedbloodpressureandnausea.Thisisupfromatotalofonly14callsin2009.Therealsohavebeenreportslinkinguseofthesedrugstohallucinations,seizuresandevendeath.AfteraMinnesota

teenagerendedupinthehospitalfromusingK2,MinnesotaSenatorKathySiebenannouncedplanstointroducelegislationnextsessiontoprotectkidsbyoutlawingthesesubstances.Kansaswasthefirststatetopasslegislationthisyearbanningsyntheticcannabinoids.Nineotherstateshavepassed

similarmeasuresmakingitillegaltopossess,use,manufactureorsellthesubstances.Billsarependinginatleastfourotherstates.OtheractionatthestatelevelincludesadministrativebansinArkansas,Hawaii,IowaandNorthDakota.TheHawaii

NarcoticsEnforcementDivisionappliedanemergencybanon“chemicalsinSpice/K2.”Thebanistemporary,pendingactionbytheHawaiiLegislatureinthe2011session.InIdaho,anewlyformedadvisorycommitteeisreviewingwhethersyntheticcannabinoidsshouldbeaddedtothelistofcontrolledsubstancesandwillmakearecommendationtotheLegislaturebeforethe2011sessionbegins.The latest news updateOnNovember24,theDEAhasbanned(temporarily)thesubstancesknownas‘K2′or‘Spice’,schedulingthemasa

Class1drug,alongwithheroinandmarijuana.Source:http://www.ncsl.org/?TabId=21436#pot,NationalConferenceofStateLegislatures

Upstate New York Poison Center750 East Adams Street ● Syracuse, NY 13210

Unintentional Poisoning Can Happen To You…At Any Age!To receive your FREE telephone stickers, magnets, and information brochures, dial 1-800-222-1222 ask for the Health Educator at The Upstate New York Poison Center.

Increase in ER Visits Involving Accidental Ingestion of Drugs by ChildrenTheDrugAbuseWarningNetwork(DAWN)isa

publichealthsurveillancesystemthatmonitorsdrug-relatedEmergencyDepartment(ED)visitsintheUnitedStates.AccordingtoarecentreportpublishedinSeptember2010,in2008therewereanestimated100,340EDvisitsinvolvingaccidentalingestionofdrugs.Ofthese,68.9percentwerebypatientsagedfiveoryoungerandmedicationswereinvolvedinthemajorityoftheEDvisits.While40.8percentofthosevisitsinvolveddrugsthatactonthecentralnervoussystem,childrenunder5ingestawidevarietyofbothoverthecounterandprescriptionmedications.