National Poison Prevention Week to be observed beginning March 19

(WPDE) — National Poison Prevention Week begins on March 19, and The Palmetto Poison Center is inviting the public to join them in observation.

According to The Palmetto Poison Center, around 2 million calls are made to poison control centers nationwide. They also said around 90 percent of poisonings happen in homes and more than 70 percent of people who call in poisoning to the center get the help that they need without having to visit a doctor's office or hospital.

In South Carolina alone, the state receives around 31,000 calls each year. More than half of these calls are from issues with children, although poisonings can happen at any age, according to the Palmetto Poison Center.

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We can prevent poisonings within our state by following these poison-prevention tips:

• Keep all household products and medicines locked up, and out of sight and reach of children and vulnerable adults.
• Use child-resistant packaging properly by closing the container securely after use and storing immediately after use.
• When any product is in use, keep it in sight. Walking away from it even briefly can lead to poisoning.
• Keep all items in their original containers.
• Read the label before using any product or medicine. Dose instructions are not suggestions, they are safety guidelines.
• Avoid taking medicine in front of children, they love to copy adults.
• Talk to your teenager about the risk of taking medicine or substances intentionally or accepting these items from someone they don’t know.
• Vulnerable adults should be supervised as well to avoid poison-related injuries.
• Call 1-800-222-1222 for free, confidential information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

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For more information on The Palmetto Poison Center, click here.