Poison

Toll-free  24 hours a day 7 days a week Confidential TTY available    Northern New England Poison Center (NNEPC)

The Northern New England Poison Center (NNEPC)  receives about 200 poison-related calls from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont every day. For Vermont resources on poison prevention, click below: NNEPC Vermont Poison Resources NNEPC Fact Sheet

"I mixed two cleaners when cleaning the bathroom. The fumes are making it hard to breathe.  What do I do?" To learn more about non-toxic cleaners, check out the following information: Household Cleaning Alternatives

"My family is having headaches and upset stomach since we turned the kerosene heater on. Could the heater cause us to be sick?" Check out the following information on carbon monoxide (CO): Carbon Monoxide (.pdf) Carbon Monoxide Poisoning  Northern New Englad Poison Center CO Resources

Medications account for more than half of all reported poisonings.  NNEPC has specially trained nurses and pharmacists to handle Poison Center calls. "I took my wife's heart medicine by mistake and can't get in touch with my doctor.  What should I do?" Check out the following Web site for information on medications: Medlineplus - for information on medicines

Do you have a poison related question? 
Check out the helpful Internet links and documents below: 

Household Products, Chemicals and Toxins, & Indoor Air Quality: The Champlain Valley Solid Waste District site with information on pesticides, household cleaning products and toxins. www.epa.gov/kidshometour/tour.htm An interactive tour of chemicals in your home. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ Environmental Protection Agency information on indoor air quality. www.toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/ - an interactive game to teach children about poisons. NNEPC Information on Mold Inhalants: NNEPC Information on Inhalant Abuse National Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition New England Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition Vermont Inhalant Abuse Prevention Training for Adults http://www.inhalant.org Lead, Mercury, and Radon: NNEPC Information on Lead Burlington Lead Program Services at CEDO NNEPC Information on Mercury www.healthvermont.gov/enviro/rad/Radon.aspx Vermont Health Department information on radon.

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs: NNEPC Medication Safety NNEPC Prescription Pain Medication Medicines in My Home FDA Web page on safe use of over-the-counter medications at home. www.dxmstories.com Dangers of Dextromethorphan (DXM) found in cough syrup. http://www2.cctv.org/rss/index.php?id=663 (podcast audio link).  Recorded in May 2007, Gayle Finkelstein discusses the dangers or prescription drug abuse in the home. http://blip.tv/file/232323 (video link) Prevention Kits Adult and High School training kits will be available January 1, 2009. Click here for kit locations and contact information. Pesticides: www.epa.gov/region01/eco/pest/index.html Environmental Protection Agency in New England information on pesticides. www.npic.orst.edu National Pesticide Information Center Phone: 1-800-858-PEST http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm Household Products Database (click on Pesticides icon).

Available Brochures and Downloads Carbon Monoxide Hand Gel Fact Sheet Home Safety Inhalants Inhalant Abuse Prevention Poster  Ipecac  Lead Poisoning Learn About the Dangers of Mold  Mercury Information in Vermont  Poisonous Plants Poison Ivy Facts Tips for a Safe Trip

Need Poison Prevention information in other languages?  Check out the PowerPoint Presentations below: Arabic:  www.cctv.org/node/60235 Kurindi:  www.cctv.org/node/60234 Maay Maay:  www.cctv.org/node/58918 Swahili:  www.cctv.org/node/59759 For the English link, visit: www.cctv.org/node/58917

In addition to answering poison-related phone calls, the center provides poison prevention education services in the community including presentations and lectures, health fair booths, brochures, stickers, and other written materials. 

In Vermont, Gayle Finkelstein, MSRN, Poison Prevention Educator, provides community education around general prevention, medication safety, drug abuse (i.e. street drugs, prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, current trends, etc.), inhalant abuse, and environmental exposures. 
Phone: 1-802-847-2393
E-mail: Gayle.Finkelstein@vtmednet.org 

To reach the Northern New England Poison Center, call 1-800-222-1222.

page updated 7/30/2008