California might shut down Poison Control?!!
I just found out the other day, when calling them myself, that California in its current budget allocation is set to cut funding to the invaluable statewide poison control system.
I was baffled when I found this out. How on earth could you possibly think of cutting such a vital service? I have personally called Poison Control at least a dozen times since my kids were born and if not for the existence of the service I would certainly have taken them and myself into the ER.
By cutting such a vital service you force people to go to the ER for “better safe than sorry” circumstances that could easily be handled with a 1 minute phone call. Longer ER waits mean people to really need the ER treatment must wait for the “possible poisoning” cases which will take precedence.
I have written my State legislators, if you agree I suggest you do the same!
http://www.calpoison.org/about/press.htm
