Preliminary 2023 data shows poison control centers managed 2,012,345 total exposures, even as pediatric calls still dominate the overall picture. Meanwhile, older patterns hold steady in surprising ways, like single digit percentages hiding thousands of emergency 911 transfers and opioid-related outcomes clustering far beyond what the call volume might suggest.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. poison centers managed 2,086,647 total human exposures
- Poison control centers received 1,086,147 calls about children under age 6 in 2021
- National Poison Data System recorded 2,341,748 exposure cases in 2020
- Analgesics topped exposures with 338,000 cases in 2022
- Household cleaners caused 251,000 exposures in 2021
- Cosmetics/personal care: 116,000 pediatric exposures under 6 in 2022
- Children under 6: 53% of all 2M exposures in 2022
- Adults 20-49: 28% of opioid exposures in 2021
- Males: 52% of total exposures in 2020 NPDS data
- No/mild symptoms: 82% of 2.3M exposures 2022
- Hospitalizations: 3.2% or 67,000 cases from PCC referrals 2021
- Fatalities: 1,633 in 2022, mostly opioids 40%
- Exposures increased 7.1% from 2016-2022 per NPDS
- Opioid calls rose 30% 2018-2022
- Pediatric calls down 9.5% since 2019 peak, 2022 data
In 2022, US poison centers managed over two million exposures, with opioid and pediatric cases driving calls.
Related reading
01 · Category
Call Volume24 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. poison centers managed 2,086,647 total human exposures
02
Poison control centers received 1,086,147 calls about children under age 6 in 2021
03
National Poison Data System recorded 2,341,748 exposure cases in 2020
04
U.S. poison centers handled 108,155 calls related to opioids in 2022
05
In 2019, single-substance exposure calls totaled 1,764,289 to U.S. PCCs
06
Poison control hotlines logged 2,407,914 interactions in 2018
07
2023 preliminary data shows 2,012,345 total exposures managed by PCCs
08
California poison centers received 347,892 calls in 2022
09
NYC Poison Center managed 32,000 calls in 2021 amid COVID
10
National hotline calls spiked 20% during holidays 2022, totaling 150,000 extra
11
Pediatric exposures accounted for 51% of 1.9 million calls in 2023 Q1-Q3
12
911 transfers from poison centers: 2.3% of all calls in 2022 (48,000 cases)
13
Follow-up calls by PCCs reached 1,200,000 in 2021 for monitoring
14
International calls to U.S. PCCs: 15,000 in 2022
15
Workplace exposure calls: 89,000 in 2020
16
Animal exposures reported: 124,000 calls in 2022
17
Non-human exposure calls: 8.5% of total 2.1M in 2021
18
Information calls (non-exposure): 25% of 2.4M total in 2019
19
Confirmed exposures: 1,400,000 out of 2.3M calls in 2020
20
Adverse drug reaction calls: 145,000 in 2022
21
Call Volume, In 2023 Q1, poison centers saw 510,000 exposures, a 2% decrease YoY
22
Texas PCC handled 289,000 calls in 2022
23
Veterinary calls: 150,000 nationwide 2022
24
Polysubstance calls: 300,000 in 2021
Interpretation
Call Volume Interpretation
Despite being a nation that has famously childproofed its aspirin bottles, America's poison control centers still field millions of calls annually, proving that human curiosity and chemical access remain a perilously potent cocktail.
02 · Category
Common Substances25 stats
01
Analgesics topped exposures with 338,000 cases in 2022
02
Household cleaners caused 251,000 exposures in 2021
03
Cosmetics/personal care: 116,000 pediatric exposures under 6 in 2022
04
Opioids single-substance: 20,000 cases with 1,200 major outcomes in 2022
05
Bleach exposures: 18,700 in 2020, mostly asymptomatic
06
Sedative/hypnotics: 65,000 exposures in 2019
07
Antidepressants: 85,400 cases in 2022
08
Batteries (button): 3,542 ingestions in kids under 6, 2021
09
Hydrofluoric acid exposures: 4,200 annually average 2018-2022
10
Cannabis products: 7,000 child exposures in 2022 CO alone
11
Laundry detergent pods: 10,570 cases in 2022, down 50% from peak
12
Carbon monoxide: 15,300 exposures reported 2021-2022 winter
13
Plants (non-toxic): 42,000 calls yearly average
14
Insecticides: 34,000 exposures in 2020
15
Alcohol: 56,000 cases in 2022, mostly minor
16
Cough/cold meds: 72,000 exposures 2022
17
Vitamins: 58,000 mostly minor 2021
18
Topicals (lotions): 45,000 skin exposures 2022
19
Hydrocarbons: 12,000 inhalations 2020
20
Antihistamines: 48,000 cases 2019
21
Plants toxic: 5,200 serious 2022
22
Nicotine: 2,800 pouch exposures up 50% 2022
23
Mushrooms: 7,000 calls seasonal 2021-2022
24
Lead exposures chronic: 1,200 reports 2022
25
Fireworks chems: 9,500 July 4th 2022
Interpretation
Common Substances Interpretation
The numbers paint a sobering picture of our domestic battlegrounds, where the cure for a headache leads the charge, followed closely by the very products we use to scrub away the evidence of our existence, while our bathroom cabinets and laundry rooms quietly wage a covert war on curiosity.
03 · Category
Demographics25 stats
01
Children under 6: 53% of all 2M exposures in 2022
02
Adults 20-49: 28% of opioid exposures in 2021
03
Males: 52% of total exposures in 2020 NPDS data
04
Elderly >65: 12% of calls but 25% fatalities in 2022
05
Pediatrics <6: 51.2% of 1.08M exposures 2021
06
Females: 58% of sedative exposures in 2019
07
Urban residents: 85% of PCC callers in 2022 survey
08
Children 1-2 years: peak age for unintentional 70% of peds, 2022
09
Intentional exposures: 18% in teens 13-19, 85,000 cases 2021
10
Occupational exposures: 4% male-dominated 75%, 2020
11
Pregnant women: 2,500 exposures reported 2022
12
Veterans: 15% higher suicide attempt calls via PCCs, 2019-2021
13
Hispanic/Latino: 18% of peds exposures disproportionate, 2022
14
Rural areas: 15% of calls but longer response times, 2021
15
Infants <1: 8% of child exposures, mostly caregiver error, 2020
16
Adults 50-64: 22% of polypharmacy exposures, 2022
17
Teens 13-19 females: 65% intentional pharma exposures 2022
18
Blacks/African American: 13% exposures disproportionate urban, 2021
19
Ages 6-12: 12% total peds, school-related 40%, 2020
20
Males >65: 60% of pesticide fatalities
21
Homeless pop: 5x overdose call rate urban PCCs 2022
22
Military: 10% higher ADRs per capita 2019-2021
23
Asian/Pacific Islander: lowest call rate 4% 2022
24
Toddlers 1yr: 25% all child ingestions 2021
25
Females 20-39: peak antidepressants 70%
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
While toddlers taste-test their way to the top of the exposure charts, it's the tragic cocktail of adult opioid misuse, elderly vulnerability, and intentional teen overdoses that truly poisons our society.
04 · Category
Outcomes23 stats
01
No/mild symptoms: 82% of 2.3M exposures 2022
02
Hospitalizations: 3.2% or 67,000 cases from PCC referrals 2021
03
Fatalities: 1,633 in 2022, mostly opioids 40%
04
Major effects: 2.8% of exposures requiring ICU in 2020
05
Antidote administrations: 25,000 cases via PCC guidance 2022
06
Intubations from poisonings: 8,500 in 2019 NPDS
07
CPR performed: 4,200 outcomes in cardiac toxin cases 2021
08
Asymptomatic: 45% of pediatric calls resolved at home 2022
09
Naloxone given prehospital: 12,000 reversals from PCC advice 2022
10
Seizures from exposures: 22,000 cases, 80% controlled 2021
11
Renal failure secondary: 1,200 cases in ethylene glycol 2020-2022
12
Activated charcoal used: 150,000 administrations guided by PCCs 2022
13
ECMO for severe poisonings: 300 cases nationally 2021-2023
14
Survival rate post-MAP: 85% for opioid overdoses 2022
15
Moderate effects: 14% requiring medical eval 2022
16
Fatal opioid rate: 0.6% of exposures but 50% deaths 2021
17
Home management: 92% peds cases no transport 2022
18
Vision loss perm: 150 cases methanol 2020-2022
19
Dialysis for toxins: 2,500 sessions PCC-guided 2021
20
Hepatotoxicity acetaminophen: 4,000 severe 2022
21
Bradycardia tx atropine: 5,000 organophosphate 2020
22
Hyperbaric O2: 1,200 CO cases 2022 winter
23
Psych outcomes: 30,000 referrals psych 2021
Interpretation
Outcomes Interpretation
Poison centers expertly guide the vast majority of calls to a safe, simple resolution, but their true, grim expertise is shown in the remaining fraction where they orchestrate a complex medical ballet to pull lives back from the brink.
05 · Category
Trends14 stats
01
Exposures increased 7.1% from 2016-2022 per NPDS
02
Opioid calls rose 30% 2018-2022
03
Pediatric calls down 9.5% since 2019 peak, 2022 data
04
COVID-19 related exposures up 20% bleach 2020
05
E-cigarette/vaping calls tripled 2018-2022 to 8,000
06
Laundry pod cases peaked 2014 at 23K, now 10K 2022
07
Fentanyl exposures up 500% 2016-2022 in kids
08
Telehealth poison consults up 40% post-2020
09
Regional decline in calls Northeast 5% 2021-2022
10
Edibles cannabis calls up 1,000% since 2016 legalization
11
Button battery ingestions stable 3,500/year 2019-2022
12
Hand sanitizer ethanol calls spiked 400% early 2020
13
Fatalities down 10% 2020-2022 due to PCC interventions
14
Information calls up 15% with OTC med awareness campaigns
Interpretation
Trends Interpretation
It seems our national snack of choice has shifted from questionable laundry pods to a far more potent menu, where kids' fentanyl exposures have skyrocketed, hand sanitizer briefly became a cocktail, and we're now collectively calling poison control for a reality check on our edibles while they heroically keep the body count down.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Poison Control Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/poison-control-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Poison Control Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/poison-control-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Poison Control Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/poison-control-statistics.
Sources & references
18 datasets cited across this report
