The following tips are provided to help ensure a safe and healthy home, work and learning environment. This is beneficial information for individuals of all ages, but especially for:

• vulnerable populations such as young children and older adults,
• family members, friends and professional staff having caregiving responsibilities for older persons and
• professionals in child development, education, camp and enrichment settings.

The following poison prevention tips are offered by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

1. Use child-resistant packaging properly by closing the container securely after each use.
2. Keep all chemicals and medicines locked up and out of sight.
3. Call the poison center immediately in case of poisoning. Keep on hand a bottle of ipecac syrup but use it only if the poison center instructs you to induce vomiting.
4. When products are in use, never let young children out of your sight, even if you must take them along with you when answering the phone or doorbell.
5. Keep items in original containers.
6. Leave the original labels on all products, and read the label before using.
7. Do not put decorative lamps and candles that contain lamp oil where children can reach them. Lamp oil can be very toxic if ingested by young children.
8. Always leave the light on when giving or taking medicine. Check the dosage every time.
9. Avoid taking medicine in front of children. Refer to medicine as "medicine," not as "candy."
10. Clean out the medicine cabinet periodically and safely dispose of unneeded and outdated medicines.

To request a free packet of poison prevention publications, please write to CPSC, Washington, DC 20207 and request a "Poison Prevention Packet." Their web site is www.cpsc.gov. Another valuable resource is the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center. According to its web site, the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center is a statewide telephone service providing 24-hour, 7-day-a-week emergency poison and drug information to consumers and health professionals.

A Center of Excellence at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, the Poison Center is committed to poison prevention and public education in order to reduce the severity of poisoning in the home. For more information, contact the Center as indicated below:

Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center

1-800-362-0101 (From Arizona Only)

626-6016 (in Tucson)

Web Site: www.pharmacy.arizona.edu