March 18-24, 2012 will mark the 50th Anniversary of National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW), first established by Congress in September 1961. As one of the longest continuously running, health and safety campaigns in the United States, the key goal of NPPW is to create national awareness about the risk of injury or death due to poisoning. From unintentional child poisonings with household products to prescription medicine abuse, poisonings and poisoning-related incidents have a nationwide reach. While there have been tremendous strides and measurable success in poisoning prevention, there is still work to be done.
Child-resistant packaging on medicines and household products as well as the prohibition of lead-based paint in homes are among poisoning prevention successes, significantly contributed to improved safety. However, emerging hazards involving pest control products, prescription medicine abuse and button batteries have again reignited the need for increased awareness. In just the past year, America's 57 poison control centers fielded 4 million calls, treating 2.4 million human poison exposures and handling 1.6 million information calls.
The Poison Prevention Week Council (PPWC), comprised of federal and private sector partners dedicated to coordinating NPPW and promoting poisoning prevention, will disseminate daily, themed messages covering the spectrum of poison-related issues and will end the safety awareness week with a conversation with the public. Consumers, community activists, victims of poison incidents and poison prevention specialists are invited to share stories, photos of preventative measures and outreach and education efforts on Friday, March 23, 2012 on the "Poison Prevention" Facebook page.
The themes for the Seven Days of Poisoning Prevention are:
Sunday: Poisonings Span a Lifetime
Monday: Children Act Fast, So Do Poisons
Tuesday: Poison Centers: Saving Lives 24/7
Wednesday: Take Your Medicines Safely
Thursday: Home, Safe, Home
Friday: Poison Prevention Superhero: Share Your Stories
Saturday: 50 Ways to Prevent Poisonings
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