More than 19,000 people die each year from an unintentional poisoning. This makes poisoning the second leading cause of injury related deaths in the United States, behind motor vehicle deaths and ahead of gun related deaths. Poisonings are common because children are curious. They climb. They put things in their mouth. They love to do what adults do. As a result, it's easy for them to get unintentionally poisoned by medicines, cleaning products, cosmetics, plants, and just about any household product. While half of poisonings involve curious toddlers, the other half involve the teens, adults, and seniors in our community. For example, poisonings happen to adults when they take the wrong medicine, spill chemicals at work, and get bitten by spiders or snakes. Some of the most dangerous poisonings happen to people who abuse drugs or attempt suicide. The Poison Center is dedicated to preventing poisonings and minimizing injury from poisonings, 24/7, and to making the Washington metro area a safer and healthier place to live and work.