13 11 26

Poisoning

What is a poison?

Chemicals, medicines, animals and plants can be dangerous to people, even in small quanitities, or can become poisonous if you are exposed to enough of them.

Common poisons that can be dangerous include:

Medicines

• Prescription medicines
• Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines
• Herbal and homoeopathic products

Recreational Substances and Substances of abuse

• Pharmaceuticals or illicitly produced for the purposes of intoxication.
• Alcohol
• Sedatives & sleeping pills
• Opioids & narcotics
• Stimulants: caffeine, guarana
• Amphetamines (including ecstasy, 'ice', 'speed')

Poisons at Home

• Cleaning products: bleaches, detergents
• Pesticides & herbicides: insect sprays, baits, repellents, rat and mouse baits and pellets.
• Health and beauty products: nail polish and remover, hair dyes, mouthwash, toothpaste, deodorant, perfume and aftershave.
• Other: fertilisers, pool chemicals, building products, paints and paint thinners, petrol, antifreeze and degreasers.

Poisons at the Workplace

• Solvents, pesticides, paints, glues, acids, petroleum products

Animals

• snakes
• spiders
• insects
• cane toads
• marine animals: stinging fish, blue-bottles, jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, cone shells.

Plants

• Trees,
• Flowers
• Seeds & berries
• Mushrooms & fungi
• Sap of some plants