Poison ingestion rates up among teenage girls in Oklahoma

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - The Oklahoma Center for Poison and Drug Information is reporting an increase of self-harm attempts from teenage girls in the state.

According to the center, 123 such cases were reported in February.

The Poison Center previously reported a spike in poisonings among that group in mid-February, with officials adding that the cases continued to increase throughout the month.

“Seeing the increase in the number of cases continue throughout February is concerning. It’s important to remember that calls to the Poison Center are just one piece of the puzzle; the real number of cases could be much higher. Many poisoning cases are not reported to the Poison Center, as the patient or caregiver may not have our number handy, or the physician might be comfortable treating the patient without our assistance” said Scott Schaeffer, Managing Director of the Oklahoma Center for Poison and Drug Information.

The National Suicide Prevention lifeline can be reached 24 hours a day at 800-273-8255.

Copyright 2022 KSWO. All rights reserved.