Teens and Hand-Sanitizers
Posted: May 04, 2012
Hospitals around the country have noticed a startling issue: teens drinking ethanol hand sanitizers to get drunk. It is a dangerous trend, and we found some great information worth sharing from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
Symptoms from alcohol poisoning include confusion, vomiting, slow or irregular breathing, blue-tinged or pale skin, low body temperature or loss of consciousness.
Safe Kids Mid-South supports the following tips for parents:
- Talk to your teens about the dangers of drinking hand sanitizers.
- Explain why alcohol poisoning is not a laughing matter
- Buy hand sanitizers that don't contain ethanol
- If you think someone has drunk hand sanitizer to get high, call 1-800-222-1222 to reach the experts at your local poison center. Don't wait for symptoms to develop.
