SYNTHETIC DEMONSTRATION — no real student or patient. Not a medical device.

Urgent & emergency

Poison Control: Call 1-800-222-1222 Right Now

Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222 — free, confidential, and 24/7. Call for any suspected poisoning or overdose. Call 911 first if the person is unconscious or not breathing normally.

The number to call

1-800-222-1222. Save it in your phone now. This single national line connects you to your regional poison center anywhere in the U.S., staffed around the clock by nurses, pharmacists, and toxicology experts. It is free and confidential — you will not be charged, and you do not need insurance or to give identifying details you are uncomfortable sharing. Call for swallowed medications, household cleaners, button batteries, plants, carbon monoxide worries, bites and stings, or any exposure you are unsure about.

When to call 911 instead (or first)

Poison Control handles most situations over the phone, but call 911 first if the person is unconscious or cannot be woken, is having trouble breathing or has stopped breathing, is having a seizure, or is turning blue. In those cases, dial 911, and you can call Poison Control afterward — or the 911 dispatcher and hospital can coordinate with them. When in doubt about severity, 911 is always the safe choice.

What to have ready when you call

It helps to have, if you can: the name and strength of the substance (read it off the container), roughly how much and when, and the person's age and weight. Keep the container with you. If you do not have all of this, call anyway — the specialists are skilled at working with partial information and would much rather hear from you early. Do not wait for symptoms to appear, and do not try home remedies or induce vomiting unless they tell you to.

If a poisoning may have been intentional

If you suspect the exposure was a deliberate attempt to self-harm — for example, an intentional overdose — treat it as both a medical and a mental-health emergency. After calling Poison Control or 911 for the physical danger, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) offers free, confidential 24/7 support 1. Stay with the person and tell the emergency team it may have been intentional, because it changes the care and follow-up that is arranged.

Common questions

Is calling Poison Control really free?

Yes. 1-800-222-1222 is free and confidential, available 24/7 across the United States. There is no charge to call, and you do not need insurance.

Should I call Poison Control or 911?

If the person is unconscious, not breathing normally, seizing, or turning blue, call 911 first. For everything else — including 'I'm not sure how serious this is' — call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

What if I'm not sure anything was even swallowed?

Call anyway. Poison Control would much rather take a precautionary call than have you wait. They will help you figure out whether there is any risk and what to watch for.

Poison emergency — what to do

  • —Unconscious or cannot be woken
  • —Trouble breathing or not breathing
  • —Seizure
  • —Turning blue or severe confusion
  • —Any sign the exposure was intentional

Call Poison Control now at 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). Call 911 if the person is unconscious, not breathing normally, or seizing. For mental-health crisis support, call or text 988, or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line).

This article is educational and is not a substitute for emergency services or professional medical care.

References

  1. 1.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2024). 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). link ✓988 provides free, confidential, 24/7 crisis support through a national network of local crisis centers.

1 sources, numbered by first appearance. General health information, not medical advice — synthetic demonstration content.