Category Archives: Regional News

What are the tick risks in northern New England?

Ticks! Just thinking about them can make your skin crawl. With growing populations of ticks in northern New England, there is a good chance you or someone you know has … Continue reading →

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Foraging for mushrooms can be risky

Every year the Northern New England Poison Center helps patients who have become sick after misidentifying mushrooms they picked to eat. Among NNEPC cases, mistakes made while foraging are the … Continue reading →

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Get rid of your expired medications on Saturday, April 28

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is holding a prescription drug take-back day this Saturday, April 28, 2018, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. at locations across the country. You can … Continue reading →

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Ways the poison center helps school nurses

The poison center is a great resource for school nurses. Not only does the poison center offer quick, expert treatment advice for possible poisonings of students and staff, it also … Continue reading →

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Fiddleheads: How to safely enjoy a seasonal treat

There is a rich tradition of foraging for fiddleheads in northern New England. These wild-growing ferns can be a tasty treat, as long as you take care when harvesting and … Continue reading →

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Watch out for brown-tail moth caterpillars

Brown-tail moth caterpillar photo via the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Brown-tail moth caterpillars are out in force in parts of Maine, particularly along the coast, and will … Continue reading →

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Have you seen this mushroom?

We’ve had a number of cases in the last few days of young children getting into amanita muscaria or similar mushrooms in the yard. These can make kids sick. If … Continue reading →

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Liquid nicotine: Dangerous to children

The death in December 2014 of a 1-year-old boy in upstate New York has brought further attention to electronic cigarettes and the liquid nicotine used to refill them. The boy reportedly … Continue reading →

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Clear your outdoor vents to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning

With so much snowfall in the last week, the Northern New England Poison Center has seen 30 cases of people exposed to carbon monoxide. This number is much higher than … Continue reading →

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Jack o’lantern mushroom is a trick, not a treat

Jack o’lantern mushrooms by Jason Hollinger, Creative Commons In time for Halloween, jack o’lantern mushrooms are starting to show their faces. We had a call related to this mushroom last … Continue reading →

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