Facts About Poisoning . Health Family Resources Home Repair . . Facts About Poisoning Center for Disease Control . Poisonings happen every day. In 1996 alone, about 5 million poisoning exposures occurred in the United States, and each year, nearly 900,000 visits to the emergency department occur because of poisonings.
Most poisonings happen in the home and involve children.
Common household items are often the cause. Poison control centers help millions of people each year, ensuring that poisonings are treated rapidly and correctly. Poison control centers managed more than 2 million cases of poison exposure in 1996. About three fourths of these cases were managed at home over the telephone with the help of specialists trained in poison information. Poison control centers are extremely cost effective.