(410 ILCS 47/5)
Sec. 5.
Declaration of purpose.
The General Assembly finds and
declares that it is in the public interest to reduce the incidence,
severity, and expenditures associated with the accidental, intentional, and
environmental poisoning of children, adults, and animals; to educate the
public and health professionals concerning the prevention and treatment of
hazardous exposures; and to ensure that adequate poison control services
are available on a statewide basis. The General Assembly believes that the
people of the State of Illinois will benefit from the provision of poison
control activities because these activities will reduce the number of
accidental poisonings, provide immediate medical information, and lower health
care costs. In addition, poison control activities will reduce the number of
deaths, reduce emotional stress, promote faster recovery, and provide more cost
effective treatment for poisoning exposures. The General Assembly also finds
that a statewide poison control system covering human and animal exposures can
utilize animal exposures as monitors of environmental quality and human risk,
provide for a complete epidemiological surveillance of poisoning, reduce the
economic impact from livestock loss due to poisoning and help maintain a safe
food supply, and avoid duplication of services and waste. A statewide system
will also increase preparedness for toxicological disasters and provide
antidote depots. It is the purpose of this Act to establish a comprehensive,
statewide regional poison control system so that any person may obtain expert
hazard, toxicology, and treatment information on a 24 hours basis.
(Source: P.A. 87-1145.)
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