Assemblyman Tom Giblin Visits the NJ Poison Center

Today, Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-34th Dist.) presented a Joint Legislative Resolution to Steven Marcus, MD, Medical and Executive Director of the NJ Poison Center and resident of Montville, in honor of this year’s National Poison Prevention Week. State officials join the NJ Poison Experts in recognizing the importance of prevention in keeping families safe from unintentional poisoning exposures.

“Everything from water to prescription and illegal drugs is potentially poisonous when not used appropriately, in the correct dosage, or by the right person,” said Dr. Marcus. Everyone is susceptible to injury and death from poisonings if proper precautions are not taken.

Two at-risk groups are young children (five years old and younger) and older adults (seniors). For young children, common mishaps occur with look-alike products. These potentially harmful products look like things that are safe to eat or drink. One example involves mistaking over-the-counter cold medication tablets with candies such as M&Ms and Skittles.

Exposures among young children typically account for more than 50 percent (%) of all calls received by the NJ Poison Center, matching statistics seen by other poison centers around the country.

Calls involving older adults are also on the rise due in part to the increasing number of prescriptions being written for America’s aging population. Causes stem from seniors misreading bottles and taking the wrong prescription, to interactions from multiple medications taken at the same time, to simply not wearing one’s eye glasses to ensure they can read the label. Older adults can request large-print labels on their prescription bottles from their pharmacies.

When the unthinkable happens, do you know who/where to call?

Fast, Free, Expert Medical Advice – Delivered Confidentially – Multilingual Capability – Available 24/7/365. “No matter the reason to call, the NJ Poison Center is here to help you,” said Marcus. “It is a good idea to program our number (1-800-222-1222) into your cell phone. Ask your friends and family to do the same.”

If you believe your child, pet, or anyone else has ingested something that could be harmful, call the NJ Poison Experts at 1-800-222-1222. If someone is unconscious, not breathing, seizing/convulsing, bleeding profusely, difficult to arouse/wake up, etc. call 911 immediately, otherwise call the poison center. A quick response by both the caller and the poison center expert can make a difference in preventing serious injury and saving lives. Every minute counts in poisoning situations so do not take chances by either waiting until symptoms occur or waste valuable time looking up information on the Internet.

Help is Just a Phone Call Away!

NJPIES invites you to learn more about how to stay safe from poisons! We are social. Join us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/njpies) and Twitter (@NJPoisonCenter) for breaking news, safety tips, trivia questions, etc. Stay tuned for more poison prevention week safety information.

Real People. Real Answers.

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About NJPIES
As New Jersey’s only poison control center, the New Jersey Poison Information & Education System provides information on poison prevention and treatments. Chartered in 1983, NJPIES provides free consultation through telephone hot line services and the Web. Medical professionals such as physicians, registered nurses and pharmacists offer confidential advice regarding poison emergencies and provide information on poison prevention, drugs, food poisoning, animal bites and more. These specialists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

NJPIES coordinates state poison education and research and is designated as the regional poison center by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and the American Association of Poison Control Centers. It tracks incidences of adverse reactions to food, drugs and vaccines in order to monitor potential public health issues and provide data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A division of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health of the New Jersey Medical School of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. NJPIES has a state-of-the-art center located on the school’s Newark campus. NJPIES is funded, in part, by the NJ Department of Health and the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

New Jersey residents seeking immediate information about treating poison emergencies, and those with any drug information questions, should call the toll-free hot line, 800-222-1222, any time. The hearing impaired may call 973-926-8008. For more information, visit www.njpies.org or call 973-972-9280.

About Rutgers

Established in 1766, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is America’s eighth oldest institution of higher learning and one of the nation’s premier public research universities. Serving more than 65,000 students on campuses, centers, institutes and other locations throughout the state, Rutgers is the only public university in New Jersey that is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities.

Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) is the health care education, research, and clinical division of Rutgers University, comprising nine schools and their attendant faculty practices, centers, institutes and clinics; New Jersey’s leading comprehensive cancer care center; and New Jersey’s largest behavioral health care network.

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