Halloween Toxins in New York City
New York’s connection with the internet seems to have a downside. Last Halloween, most calls to the city’s Poison Control Center came from adults, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they were more prone to mishaps with candy than trick-or-treaters.
One expert mentioned that those from older generations are more inclined to pick up the phone and call 212 Poison for advice, while parents of young kids increasingly search online for remedies.
“If you’re in your 30s, you’re probably going to Google. But if you’re older, you’re probably more comfortable calling someone,” noted Maria Mercurio Zappala, deputy director at the Center for Poisons at NYU Langone.
During last Halloween, the Poison Center recorded 191 calls related to exposure, with 108 cases involving individuals aged 20 and above.
The city’s health department reported that only 59 calls were for kids under 5, while the 6-12 age group accounted for 14 calls and teens aged 13-19 contributed another 10.
Zappala pointed out that these numbers reflect more about where people seek guidance rather than the demographics of those exposed to toxins.
“People are accustomed to looking things up online. They’ll continue doing that unless you highlight that what they’re seeing could be incorrect,” she elaborated.
“Dr. Google isn’t flawless.”
However, this doesn’t imply that adults are any less vulnerable to toxins or accidental poisonings, especially during festive occasions.
According to the Department of Health, the most common exposures last Halloween were cosmetics, toys, and psyllium, a chemical often found in glow sticks, which has been reported to be chewed on by teens and adults during other times as well.
Zappala mentioned, “It used to be more frequent in the past, but adults still do this a lot. It’s primarily related to drug use. They often take something like ecstasy and then end up chewing on psyllium.”
Typically, children fall victim to Halloween-related cosmetics and toys, while calls about prescription and over-the-counter medications represent a smaller fraction of cases.
The key message for this Halloween is to reach out to the New York City Poison Center if there’s any uncertainty. Even after consulting online, Zappala suggests getting a second opinion.
