Poison Awareness Month

March 16, 2003 8:54 AM

Did you know that March is Poison Awareness month? More than 90% of poisonings occur in the home, more than half involving children under the age of six. Each year, more than five million poisonings are reported in the U.S. alone. How poison aware are you? Are you familiar with the (U.S.) toll-free phone number you can call if you suspect someone has been poisoned? How about the various symbols used to identify poisons in the home: the Mr. Yuk or the more widely identifiable skull and crossbones? Are you following best practices to prevent household poisonings? (Oh, and did you know that Poison Control Centers nationwide are on the front lines of national preparedness and response in the event of a biological or chemical terrorist attack? Now you do!)
posted by Dreama (9 comments total)

Thanks for this. Does it also work for exposure to certain political/cultural memes? :D
posted by allaboutgeorge at 10:06 AM on March 16, 2003

Hah! I remember seeing Mr. Yuk in a computer game called Playroom when I was a child and wondering if they had replaced the usual skull and crossbones with a little guy sticking out his tongue because they thought skulls were too scary for us...
posted by bubukaba at 10:21 AM on March 16, 2003

bubukaba: actually, it's because skulls aren't scary enough. Kids associate the skull and crossbones with pirates, and pirates are cool! Hey, that stuff with the skull and crossbones on it might be pirate food! Let's try some! [scroll down to 3.] Thus, an alternative symbol with (hopefully) no attractive meanings was developed: Mr. Yuk. I don't think the 'Labelit Poison Foundation' is doing kids any favors.
posted by Slithy_Tove at 10:41 AM on March 16, 2003

More than 90% of poisonings occur in the home, more than half involving children under the age of six.

Damn! Sounds like we should ban homes, and possibly also children. Both sound dangerous.
posted by kindall at 11:27 AM on March 16, 2003

Did you know that March is Poison Awareness month?

No.
posted by Ayn Marx at 1:36 PM on March 16, 2003

More than 90% of poisonings occur in the home, more than half involving children under the age of six.

Which goes to show that the parents of these children feel the same as the rest of us.
posted by Ryvar at 1:36 PM on March 16, 2003

And how, exactly, do you feel, Ryvar?
posted by Dreama at 1:39 PM on March 16, 2003

Dreama: I think it's pretty obvious that I don't much care for children.
posted by Ryvar at 6:37 PM on March 16, 2003

And children everywhere (and not a few adults) are thankful for this.

Won't somebody think of the children?
posted by allaboutgeorge at 3:45 AM on March 18, 2003