Latest Poisoning News and Information

The New Jersey Poison Control Center collaborates with the media to inform the public about potential poisoning dangers and how to prevent accidental poison exposures. Here’s the latest media coverage — poisoning news and information featuring our Poison Experts!

Press and Media Inquiries

For information and interview requests, contact Alicia Gambino, Director of Educational Services, 973-972-9280 or [email protected]

Available for Interviews:

Diane P. Calello, MD, Executive and Medical Director, New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Bruce Ruck, Pharm.D., Managing Director, New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

NJPIES in the News 2023       NJPIES in the News 2022

A young child and her grandmother are holding a Thanksgiving Day pie.

 

Poison Control Center Tips on Preventing Illness this Holiday Season

Rutgers Today, November 21, 2024

Pregnant mom and toddler daughter smiling at one another while toddler touch her mom's belly.

 

Lead Screening in Pregnancy Can Protect Maternal and Newborn Health. Why Is It Not Universal?

Rutgers Today, November 19, 2024

NJ Spotlight News anchor discusses a lead screening program for pregnant women and their babies.

 

Lead screening urged for pregnant moms, newborns

NJ Spotlight News, November 12, 2024

Trick-or-treaters walk on Washington Avenue in Haddonfield, N.J., in 2018

 

How to protect trick-or-treaters from cannabis edibles, allergens, and more this Halloween

Philly Inquirer, October 28, 2024

Four young children dressed in Halloween costumes with two of the children holding pumpkin buckets

 

Expert Offers Tips on How to Keep Halloween Spooky – and Safe

Rutgers Today, October 23, 2024

Picked oranges with the vines and leaves still attached near a half peeled orange.

 

Scurvy is still around — and cases are rising. Why a severe lack of vitamin C can cause the condition.

Yahoo, October 15, 2024

A white cap from a whipped cream canister lies near the nozzle of the product.

 

A TikTok Trend Has Kids Using Whipped Cream Canisters to Get High — and It’s Incredibly Dangerous

Food & Wine, October 5, 2024

Three Diamond Shruumz Premium Microdosing Chocolate bars in fruity bebbles, dark chocolate and cookies & cream flavors.

 

Three deaths linked to recalled Diamond Shruumz edibles

Consumer Affairs, October 4, 2024

Liquor being poured in three shot glasses.

 

Wait—Can Alcohol Really Prevent Food Poisoning?

Health, October 2, 2024

Young child putting a white pill into their mouth.

 

Unsecured Opioid Prescriptions and Pet Meds Cause Child Poisonings

Pain News Network, October 3, 2024

 

Pet meds and discarded doses: N.J. Poison Control Center study identifies sources of opioid poisonings in young children

WHYY, October 2, 2024

An open bottle of orange nail polish with the top lying next to it.

 

What Is Chroming? What Every Parent Needs to Know About the Dangerous Trend

Health, October 1, 2024

 

 

Opioid poisoning among children mostly caused by accidental exposure, study says

NJ Spotlight News, September 27, 2024

Warning sign with megaphone and different colored hand prints. Photo credit: Canva

 

Threat at home: Risky drugs getting in the hands of young NJ kids 

New Jersey 101.5 FM, September 26, 2024

A young child taking pills from a medicine bottle kept on a shelf. Photo: Adobe Stock

 

Study Reveals Sources of Opioid Poisoning Among Children

Rutgers Today, September 25, 2024

Products advertised as containing synthetically derived delta-8 THC are offered for sale at a smoke shop in north Seattle on Feb. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene Johnson, File)

 

What to know about the New Jersey law that regulates the manufacturing and sale of Delta-8 products

WHYY, September 22, 2024

 

The New Whippets: Galaxy Gas in Viral TikToks For Sale in NJ

New Jersey 101.5 FM, September 18, 2024

Smiling mother and daughter looking at colorful pencils and other school supplies in a store.

 

Rutgers poison expert offers tips to prevent children of all ages from coming into contact with poisons at home and school

WRNJ, September 3, 2024

Gasoline powered portable generator plugged in outside a home and kept at a safe distance to prevent carbon monoxide from getting into the house.

 

 

How to use portable generators safely during storm season to avoid CO poisoning

WBGO45, August 28, 2024

An elementary student wearing eye googles holds a flask containing a chemical in science class.

 

 

How to Prevent Potential Poisonings During the Back to School Rush

Rutgers Today, August 27, 2024

New details emerge about actor Matthew Perry's use of ketamine.

 

Court documents reveal new details about Matthew Perry’s death

CBS Evening News, August 16, 2024

An egg cooking in a frying pan.

 

What Is ‘Teflon Flu’? Here Are The Symptoms To Watch For—And How To Avoid It, According To Toxicologists

Women’s Health, July 18, 2024

Products containing tianeptine are sold under many names, including Neptune's Fix, Za Za, Pegasus, and Tianna.

 

8 things to know about the drug known as ‘gas station heroin’

NPR, July 14, 2024

Dr. Bruce Ruck from the New Jersey Poison Control Center talks with Avni Lall from WMBC TV News about ways to keep safe during a heat wave.

 

Beating the Heat

WMBC TV News, July 8, 2024

Image of a person standing at a scenic overlook taking pictures. Photo credit: Miguel Fernandez | NorthJersey.com

 

New Jersey Hiking Survival Guide: Tips on ticks, bears, snakes and heat

NorthJersey.com, June 28, 2024

Image of cannabis gummy edibles next to dried cannabis flower. Photo credit: Jamie Grill/Getty Images

 

Cannabis-Related Hospitalizations Among Older Adults Surge Following Legalization of Marijuana

Health, June 19, 2024

Health experts offered safety tips as a record-breaking heat wave spreads across the United States. Photo credit: John Angelillo/UPI

 

12 tips to stay cool & safe during U.S. heat wave

Yahoo News, June 19, 2024

A new bill proposed by NJ lawmakers to help reduce teen suicides.

New Jersey lawmakers hope to curb teen suicides with new legislation

PHIL 17 News, June 17, 2024

Image Description: A family of two adults and a child are smiling while holding onto a pool raft.

Be Aware of Hidden Summer Dangers

Rutgers Today, June 5, 2024

Image Description: A person using a nasal spray while lying in the grass with other medicine bottles by their head. Image Credit: Rutgers Today

Can Allergy Medicines Be Dangerous?

Rutgers Today, May 15, 2024

Image Description: A person sitting in their car scrolling through their phone. Image Credit: Getty Images

 

Is idling in your car bad for you?

Yahoo Life, May 13, 2024

Image Description: A wall that has peeling paint. Image Credit: CBS News New York

 

Lead levels in children dropping across New Jersey but not gone, report says. Map shows where the highest levels are

CBS News New York, May 10, 2024

Image Description: Dr. Diane Calello from the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers new Jersey Medical School talks with 6ABC News about the dangerous health effects of tianeptine products named Zaza Red or Silver, Neptune's Fix and Tianaa Red. Image Credit 6 ABC News

 

Experts warn about dangers of ‘gas station heroin’ | Action News Investigation

6 ABC Action News, May 9, 2024

Image Description: NJ Spotlight News reports that more NJ children are being screened for lead. Image Credit: NJ Spotlight News

 

More NJ Children Being Tested for Lead

NJ Spotlight News, April 30, 2024

Image Description: News 12 New Jersey anchor reporting on a story of two children hospitalized after eating cannabis gummy which parents say they got at school. | Image Credit: News 12 new Jersey

Authorities: 2 children at Port Reading school become sickened after ingesting marijuana gummies

News 12 New Jersey, April 19, 2024

Image Description: NJ Congressman wants to end sales of ‘gas station heroin' | Image Credit: NBC Philadelphia

 

NJ Congressman wants to end sales of ‘gas station heroin’

NBC Philadelphia, March 28, 2024

Image Description: NJ Spotlight News anchor reporting on a story warning people to steer clear of "gas station heroin" | (Image Credit: NJ Spotlight News)

 

Warning to steer clear of ‘gas station heroin’

NJ Spotlight News, March 28, 2024

Image Description: Diane Calello of the New Jersey Poison Control Center looks at the ingredients list on a bottle of Tianaa Red, a tianeptine product. | Image Credit: Inside Edition

 

‘Gas Station Heroin,’ Drinks and Pills Containing Tianeptine, Dangerously Addictive and Damaging, FDA Warns

Inside Edition, March 27, 2024

Dr. Diane Calello discusses the dangers of tianeptine, also known as "gas station heroin".

 

Tianeptine, known as ‘gas station heroin,’ is easy to find, potentially dangerous to use

ABC 7 News Chicago, February 28, 2024

Image of four Neptune's Fix Tianeptine products in a row next to one another.

 

Illnesses linked to ‘gas station heroin’ are growing, New Jersey health officials warn

WHYY, February 20, 2024

Image of a bottle of Neptune's Fix Tianeptine Elixir (Image Credit: New Jersey 101.5 FM Website)

 

‘Gas station anti-depressant’ causing serious health problems in NJ

New Jersey 101.5 FM, February 19, 2024

Image of News 12 news anchor reporting on a story | (Image Credit: News 12 New Jersey)

 

Officials: 4 middle school students taken to hospital for ingesting marijuana gummies

News 12 New Jersey, February 16, 2024

Image of a bunch of button batteries of all sizes on a pink background

 

 

Tiny but Dangerous: Bite-sized batteries, strong magnets hide in plain sight

WRNJ News, February 12, 2024

Image of a customer reaching for a Stanley cup on a store shelf.(Image Credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

 

Why there’s lead in Stanley water bottles — and the real reason that’s a problem

Vox, February 2, 2024

Image of Neptune's Fix products - Elixir and tablets (Image Credit: FDA Alert January 2024)

 

 

CDC warns that Neptune’s Fix — ‘gas station heroin’ — may contain synthetic pot

NBC News, February 1, 2024

Image of a Stanley Tumbler (Image Credit: AMAZON / HEALTH)

 

Stanley Cups Contain ‘Some Lead’—Does That Make Them Dangerous to Use?

Health.com, February 1, 2024

The FDA is warning consumers to not purchase or use Neptune's Fix products, or any other product with tianeptine, which is not approved in the U.S.

 

Neptune’s Fix products recalled nationwide due to serious health risks

CBS News, January 30, 2024

Two laundry detergent pods against a white background (Getty Images)

 

Poisoning from laundry detergent pods has gone up among older children, teens and adults. Here’s why — and how to stay safe.

Yahoo Life, January 29, 2024

Two young children playing outside and licking snow

 

Weather Questions: How Safe Is It To Eat Illinois Snow?

The Ticket Sports Radio, January 19, 2024

A blister pack of Singulair tablets, a prescription medicine used for asthma and allergies.

 

Singulair’s Boxed Warning Went Ignored. How Do You Know If Your Medications Are Safe?

Very Well Health, January 17, 2024

Neptune’s Fix and other dietary supplements sold at convenience stores, smoke shops and gas stations that contain an ingredient called tianeptine. They’re part of a growing class of unregulated, potentially addictive products that are widely available.Credit...Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times

 

The New York Times, January 10, 2024

A Rutgers Poison Control expert discusses the health risks posed to children from this popular toy, which lawmakers are seeking to ban

Rutgers Today, January 5, 2024

A person holding a bunch of water beads in their hands.

 

Water beads could be banned soon. Why you should keep this toy away from kids.

NJ.com, January 3, 2024