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Poisoned? Get help right away. Use the webPOISONCONTROL online tool, or call a poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Both options are free, expert, and confidential.

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Immediate steps to take in case of poisoning.

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Use the Pill ID tool to quickly identify pills.

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Top poison categories

Medications

59.6%

of cases

Cleaners

9.9%

of cases

Cosmetics

6.6%

of cases

Supplements

5.3%

of cases

Pesticides

1.8%

of cases

Plants

1.9%

of cases

Food and drink

1.3%

of cases

Batteries

0.5%

of cases

Bites and stings

0.2%

of cases

Carbon monoxide

0.2%

of cases

Is it a poison? Search our library

(571 articles that will keep you safe)

Poison and prevention information

View top articles
button batteries

Batteries cause devastating injuries

Swallowed batteries burn through a child’s esophagus in just 2 hours, leading to surgery, months with feeding and breathing tubes, and even death. About the size of a nickel, 20 mm, 3-volt lithium coin cells are the most hazardous as they are big enough to get stuck and burn faster. Secure battery compartments and keep loose batteries away from children.

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man smoking an e-cig

Dangers associated with e-cigs

Electronic cigarettes (e-Cigs) are devices made to look like real cigarettes. They contain a battery, a heater, and liquid nicotine. When heated, the nicotine liquid becomes a vapor, which users inhale. Liquid nicotine products contain flavorings and something to help the product vaporize. Liquid nicotine products are very poisonous if swallowed.

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fire by gas stove

Carbon monoxide: What you need to know

It's not an intriguing or novel hazard, just the persistent, invisible killer: carbon monoxide. Seriously, you still don't have a carbon monoxide alarm in every sleeping area of your home? Get one! And keep fuel-burning appliances in good repair; don't use grills or gasoline-powered tools indoors, and don't run your car in an attached garage or place a generator close to your home.

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Articles about webPOISONCONTROL:

2020 webPOISONCONTROL data summary

An analysis of 156,202 webPOISONCONTROL cases from 2020 showed that the tool provides a safe, quick and fully-automated alternative for those who are unable or unwilling to use the telephone to call a traditional poison center.

Worried you ingested something deadly? This virtual poison control website can be a lifesaving tool.

You swallowed. You were splashed. You got stung. But was it harmful? If you aren’t sure, head to poison.org.

webPOISONCONTROL: can poison control be automated?

This analysis of 9,256 cases demonstrates that webPOISONCONTROL safely provides automated, accurate online access to case-specific triage and first aid guidance for poison exposures. It is quick and easy to use.

webPOISONCONTROL

Provides an overview of webPOISONCONTROL features and data, concluding that it is an “effective, intuitive resource for the triage of potential poisonings”, easy to navigate and clear. The clinical safety of the resource is well-established, and between 450 and 500 cases per day are currently reported.

Poison Control data dashboard

The webPOISONCONTROL data analysis dashboard is the only free and publicly available online source of national (US), near real-time poison exposure data. Find out more about the dashboard so you can fully explore data summaries and trends of poisonings from common substances like personal care products, cleaning substances, medicines, pesticides, plants, bites and stings, and more.

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Make a difference

Keep us funded. webPOISONCONTROL is supported entirely through generous grants and contributions.

DONATE NOW!

On March 31, 2025, the National Capital Poison Center closed its call center and became the first all-digital, fully-automated Poison Control. The Center leveraged its innovative webPOISONCONTROL tool to help people throughout the US who cannot or will not use the telephone to call a poison center. The Center is not a government agency, but a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded to bring you Poison Control expertise digitally. Learn more…