Talk:Poison control centers educate public on hand sanitizer consumption

Latest comment: 11 years ago by Pi zero in topic External sources

I interviewed Stuart E. Heard, executive director at the California Poison Control System on April 30, 2012, at 6:47 p.m. central.

Summarized Notes:

Since March 1, 2012, 16 cases of teens drinking hand sanitizer have been reported to the California Poison Control System (CPCS).

Sixty cases have been reported to CPCS since 2010.

CPCS only receives the reported cases. They suspect there are much more that go unreported. Reports usually only happen when something goes terribly wrong.

Teens can learn how to distill the hand sanitizer to get just the alcohol from different sources. Friends, Internet sites, and YouTube tutorials show how to distill.

The best way to prevent children from drinking hand sanitizer is to educate them on the harmful effects. They must understand the effects of consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time. Alcohol poisoning is a serious issue.

CPCS is also concerned with how available the product is on shelves. It can be found in nearly all stores. Teens can buy it anywhere. It's even set up around schools and other facilities for people to use at their own convenience. It is readily available.

It is unlikely that this trend will cause the product to be locked up in stores to prevent kids from purchasing. It is also unlikely that any sort of legal purchasing verification will come out of this trend.

Srbealor (talk) 22:13, 1 May 2012 (UTC)Reply

Srbealor (talk) 00:02, 1 May 2012 (UTC)Reply


I interviewed James Mowry, director of Indiana Poison Center on May 1, 2012, at 3:27 p.m. central. Srbealor (talk) 22:13, 1 May 2012 (UTC)Reply

Summarized Notes:

Indiana Poison Center only had four reports so far in 2012 of teens misusing hand sanitizer; of those four, three were in correctional institutions.

They suspect that number is low. If teens are getting the expected effects of drinking hand sanitizer, they won't hear about it.

Hand sanitizer is made up of 62% ethly alcohol. That is comparable to a 120 proof drink or 50% more alcohol found in regular, hard liquor.

Teens are distilling the hand sanitizer to get rid of the antibacterial.

Hand sanitizer has a very high concentration of alcohol. Consuming this will alter judgements and induce vomiting. Vomit could potentially get in their lungs causing further complications.

Over the last 10 years, 41 cases of hand sanitizer abuse have been reported to Indiana Poison Center. Of those 41 cases, 31 were teenagers and 10 were adults.

Indiana Poison Center is doing their part by informing the public of what could happen. They will be posting information on their Facebook page. Although they are followed primarily by parents, they hope the parents will pass this information onto their children.

Srbealor (talk) 22:13, 1 May 2012 (UTC) Srbealor (talk) 21:32, 1 May 2012 (UTC)Reply


Review of revision 1486637 [Not ready] edit

Review of revision 1487005 [Not ready] edit

I missed the freshness of your OR...sorry, my mistake. I still stand by the other comments. This is a good article that doesn't need to die. I'm signing off for the evening, though. Keep working. Bddpaux (talk) 00:55, 2 May 2012 (UTC)Reply

Review of revision 1487107 [Not ready] edit

Remark on image edit

I'll put money on the bottle of hand sanitizer being zapped off Commons.

We should also avoid that, as it's just a sincle brand we're picking on. --Brian McNeil / talk 16:19, 2 May 2012 (UTC)Reply

Review of revision 1487720 [Passed] edit

External sources edit

Did the reviewer use those links that are labeled as External sources? If so, they should be included in the Sources section. If not, their section heading should be External links. --Pi zero (talk) 18:15, 2 May 2012 (UTC)Reply

Return to "Poison control centers educate public on hand sanitizer consumption" page.