America’s 55 Poison Centers tracked over 2.4 million calls and cases in 2024, creating a real-time map of poisoning emergencies across the country. Researchers found that while overall poisoning cases stayed about the same, serious poisonings are getting more common—especially from pain medications, household cleaners, and street drugs. The data shows that poison centers are catching dangerous exposures faster than ever before, with information reaching doctors in just 5 minutes. This annual report helps doctors and public health officials understand what poisons are hurting Americans most and how to prevent future emergencies.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: What substances are poisoning Americans, how serious those poisonings are, and how quickly poison centers can help
  • Who participated: All 55 poison centers in the United States tracked 2.4 million cases including poisonings, drug overdoses, and information requests from doctors and the public
  • Key finding: While total poisoning cases stayed about the same as last year, serious poisonings (moderate, major, or fatal) are increasing by about 4% each year. Pain medications, household cleaners, and antidepressants caused the most poisonings overall, while young children were most often poisoned by household cleaners and cosmetics
  • What it means for you: Poison centers are getting faster at helping people (responding in about 5 minutes), and serious poisonings are becoming more common, suggesting we need better prevention and faster emergency response. If you or someone near you is poisoned, calling Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) can save your life

The Research Details

This is the 42nd year that America’s Poison Centers have collected and analyzed data about poisonings across the entire country. In 2024, all 55 poison centers automatically uploaded their case information to a national database, creating a real-time tracking system. Researchers counted and organized information about what substances caused poisonings, who was affected, how serious the poisonings were, and whether people died.

When someone died from a poisoning, a team of poison experts reviewed each case carefully. They used a special scale to decide how much the poison actually caused the death, compared to other health problems the person might have had. This helps researchers understand which poisonings are most dangerous.

The system works incredibly fast—information from poison centers reaches the national database in about 5 minutes on average. This speed allows doctors and public health officials to spot dangerous trends almost immediately, like if a new drug is suddenly causing many overdoses in one area.

This type of tracking system is important because it shows us the real-world poisoning emergencies happening in America right now, not just what doctors think might happen. By collecting data from all 55 poison centers, researchers can see patterns across the whole country and spot new dangers quickly. The fast upload speed means public health officials can warn communities about dangerous products or drugs before more people get hurt.

This is a very reliable study because it includes data from every poison center in America, not just a few. The automatic upload system means the data is collected the same way every year, making it easy to compare year-to-year changes. The researchers used the same methods as previous years, so this 42-year trend is trustworthy. However, the data only includes cases that people reported to poison centers—some poisonings might not be reported, so the real numbers could be higher

What the Results Show

In 2024, poison centers handled 2.4 million cases total, including 2.1 million actual poisoning exposures. The number of cases stayed almost exactly the same as 2023 (only 0.1% decrease), but the mix of poisonings changed in important ways. Serious poisonings—those causing moderate harm, major harm, or death—are increasing by about 4% each year, while less serious poisonings are decreasing by about 1.5% each year. This means poisonings are becoming more dangerous overall.

The top five substances causing poisonings were pain medications (10.5% of all cases), household cleaning products (6.94%), antidepressants (5.50%), heart medications (5.12%), and cosmetics or personal care products (4.96%). Street drugs and stimulants showed the fastest growth, increasing by about 4.5% each year over the past 10 years for serious cases.

For young children aged 5 and under, the pattern was different. Household cleaners were the most common poisoning (9.96%), followed by cosmetics and personal care products (9.15%), pain medications (8.85%), toys or foreign objects (7.92%), and dietary supplements (6.34%). This shows that young children are most at risk from everyday household products they can find and swallow.

The data revealed 2,809 deaths from poisoning in 2024. Researchers determined that 2,271 of these deaths (80.9%) were actually caused by the poisoning, while the rest were influenced by other health conditions. This means poisoning is a significant cause of death in America.

Poison centers also handled 285,736 information requests from doctors, pharmacists, and the public asking about poisons and medications. Most of these requests (22.4%) were about identifying unknown drugs. Interestingly, requests for medication identification dropped by 17%, possibly because people now use apps or websites to identify pills. However, requests for general drug information increased slightly by 0.2%, suggesting doctors still need expert help understanding how poisons affect the body.

This year’s data continues a troubling trend seen over the past 15-25 years: serious poisonings are becoming more common while minor poisonings are becoming less common. This shift suggests that the poisonings happening now are more likely to cause real harm. The increase in street drug and stimulant poisonings is particularly concerning and represents the fastest-growing category of serious poisonings. The decrease in information requests about medication identification may reflect changes in how people look up drug information, but the overall need for poison center expertise remains high.

This study only includes poisoning cases that were reported to poison centers. Some poisonings might not be reported, especially if people treated themselves at home or went directly to a hospital without calling poison control. The data also doesn’t include poisonings that happened but weren’t recognized as poisonings. Additionally, the study can’t prove that the substances caused the poisonings—it only shows what people reported. Finally, while the data is current through 2024, it takes time to analyze, so the most recent trends might not be fully captured

The Bottom Line

Call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) immediately if you suspect any poisoning—don’t wait to see if symptoms develop. Keep household cleaners, medications, and cosmetics locked up and away from children. Be especially careful with pain medications and antidepressants, which are the most common causes of serious poisonings. If you or someone you know struggles with substance use, talk to a doctor about treatment options, as street drug poisonings are increasing rapidly. These recommendations are based on strong evidence from real poisoning cases across America.

Parents and caregivers of young children should pay special attention to keeping household cleaners and cosmetics safely stored. Adults taking pain medications or antidepressants should store them securely. Anyone struggling with substance use or living with someone who is should know about poison center resources. Healthcare workers and public health officials should use this data to plan prevention programs. Everyone should know the poison center number (1-800-222-1222) in case of emergency. This data is less relevant to people with no exposure risk, but the trends suggest poisoning is becoming more common across all groups.

If you call poison control during a poisoning emergency, you’ll get help within minutes—the system responds in about 5 minutes on average. If you’re implementing prevention strategies like storing medications safely, you should see results immediately in terms of reduced risk. If you’re seeking treatment for substance use, recovery timelines vary greatly depending on the individual and type of treatment, but poison centers can connect you with resources right away

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track household safety measures: log when you secure medications, cleaners, and cosmetics in locked cabinets. Record the date and location of each item stored safely. This creates a home safety checklist and reminds you to maintain poison prevention habits
  • Set a phone reminder to save the Poison Control number (1-800-222-1222) in your phone contacts today. Create a household inventory of medications and dangerous products, noting their locations. If you have young children, schedule a monthly ‘safety check’ to ensure all hazardous items remain locked and out of reach
  • Monthly: Review your home safety checklist to ensure medications and cleaners remain secured. Quarterly: Update your household inventory of medications and note expiration dates. Annually: Reflect on any poisoning near-misses in your home and adjust prevention strategies. If you use the app to track medication use, note any side effects or concerns to discuss with your doctor

This research summary is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. If you or someone else has been poisoned or exposed to a toxic substance, immediately call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (available 24/7) or emergency services at 911. The findings in this report describe trends in poisoning cases but do not provide medical diagnosis or treatment guidance. Always consult with a healthcare provider, pharmacist, or poison control specialist for specific medical concerns about poisoning, medication safety, or substance exposure. This summary reflects data from 2024 and may not capture the most recent developments in poisoning trends or treatment recommendations.