National Poison Prevention Week

National Poison Prevention Week was endorsed by the United States congress in 1961 and was designated to take place annually, during the third full week of March. In the early 1980s, Poison Centres across Canada also began to promote Poison Prevention Week during this same week.

Canadian poison centres continue to promote Poison Prevention Week through a variety of activities. Each year, they work closely with media representatives, as well as community partners such as Safe Kids Canada and Health Canada to promote poison safety messages.

Quick Links:
Dr. Margaret Thompson from @ON_Poison joins @Candace_Global - Click Here
National Poison Prevention Week March 17-23, 2024 - Click Here
Proclamation Endorsement of Poison Prevention Week - Click Here
Landmarks across Ontario light up green: National Poison Prevention Week! - Click Here
Current Top 10 Exposures - Click Here
NPPW Colouring Book - Click Here
Local School Poison Prevention Artwork - Click Here
Poison Prevention Week Story Time - Click Here

National Poison Prevention Week: Empower Poison Prevention! March 17-23, 2024

PPW 2024.jpg

Each year, more than 4,000 Canadians lose their lives due to poisoning and annual unintentional poisoning deaths have now surpassed transport-related deaths in Canada With many potential poisons – such as medications, household cleaners and cannabis products – in and around the home, it’s important to know how to safely store these items and what to do in the event of a poisoning.

In recognition of the upcoming National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-23, 2024), Ontario Poison Centre (OPC) is joining with Parachute and organizations across Canada to promote a pan-Canadian theme for Poison Prevention Week – Poison Prevention: Empowering Canada for a safer tomorrow. Use the hashtag #EmpowerPoisonPrevention to promote the theme on social media.

Recognize and identify potential poisons – tips to recognize potential poisons, common causes of poisoning
https://www.ontariopoisoncentre.ca/common-poisons/current-top-10/
Parent and Caregiver Tips to Prevent Child Poisoning
Poison Storage Checklist For House
Poison Storage Checklist For Apartment

Take action to prevent poisoning – key messages about prevention,
https://www.ontariopoisoncentre.ca/for-families/poison-prevention/

Know what to do in case of a poisoning – how to contact poison centres
https://www.ontariopoisoncentre.ca/about-us/contact-us/

Help create a safer Canada – why and how to report unsafe products, adverse reactions and medication errors.
https://ismpcanada.ca/report/

Stay up to date with us during National Poison Prevention Week by looking for hashtags:

#EmpowerPoisonPrevention (Canada)
#NPPW2024 (North America)

National Poison Prevention Week March 17-23, 2024 (PDF)

The next year National Poison Prevention Week is March 16-24, 2025.

If you’re interested in getting involved or partnering with OPC in promoting this awareness week, please email us: poison.information@sickkids.ca

Canada
Drug Free Kids Canada:
Drug Free Kids Canada – Drug Free Kids Canada
Health Canada:
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/health/campaigns/cannabis/health-effects.html#a8
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/health-effects/parents.html

Canadian Poison Centres

Learn more about other Canadian poison centres.

Canadian Association for Poison Centres and Clinical Toxicology