What is a Poison?

A poison is any substance that may cause harm or illness to a person because of its chemical action to the body. There can be many different routes of exposure. The most common include:

Swallowing
Splashing on the skin or in the eyes
Inhaling

A substance may be harmful or poisonous if taken the wrong way, by the wrong person or in the wrong amount. Poisons cause a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from a mild reaction to a serious illness or possible death.

Examples of common household poisons:

Medicine (e.g. prescriptions, over-the-counter, herbal remedies)
Household cleaners (e.g. all purpose cleaners, bleach, detergents)
Car products (e.g. windshield washer fluid, antifreeze, gasoline, oil)
Personal care products (e.g. cosmetics, nail polish remover, hair spray, mouthwash)
Plants
Alcohol

Tip: Medication containers

Moving products out of their original containers is a common cause of poisoning in adults and children.