CHICAGO (AP) — The Illinois Poison Center says it fielded almost 82,000 calls for help in 2012. That's down from nearly 87,000 a year earlier.
The center said in a news release Wednesday that almost 74,000 of the 2012 calls were for advice on treating someone actually exposed to a potentially harmful substance.
Center officials say calls may have dropped off because more people are seeking information online and because of federal funding cuts that led the Poison Center to scale back some operations.
More than 47 percent of the calls were from someone trying to help a child younger than five years old.
Center officials noted that calls about sedatives and antipsychotics have become much more common in recent years. They're now the source of more calls than any substance besides painkillers.
State News
Illinois poison control calls down in 2012
- State News
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Ill. Senate panel endorses ammunition limit
Nicole Hockley, a parent who lost her child, Dylan Hockley, 6, in the Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut, testifies on assault weapon legislation during a Senate Executive Committee hearing at the Illinois State Capitol Monday, May 20, 2013, in Springfieldl.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Parents of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims testified Monday in favor of an Illinois limit on the size of ammunition magazines, a proposal that got a Senate committee endorsement.
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Senate Democrats want more school money, not cuts
SPRINGFIELD (AP) — Illinois Senate Democrats want to boost general education funding by $156 million next year, not cut it, key budget negotiators said Friday, but acknowledged the increase would only keep per-student funding level.
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Senate committee to consider gun bill
SPRINGFIELD(AP) — Illinois concealed carry legislation that requires special permission to have a gun in Chicago is scheduled for a Senate committee vote.
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'Fracking' supporters say Ill. bill ready for vote
CHICAGO (AP) — Supporters of high-volume oil and gas drilling said Wednesday that they hope for a quick vote on a bill to regulate the practice in Illinois after reaching agreements on hiring and environmental concerns.
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Cities could restrict places for guns
SPRINGFIELD (AP) — An Illinois Senate proposal to allow the carrying of concealed weapons would let large cities add to the list of places considered off limits to guns.
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Watchdog group says state must address pensions
CHICAGO — Gov. Pat Quinn's proposed state budget is a baby step in the right direction, a watchdog group's analysis said Monday, but the governor may be overstating savings from a recent union contract negotiation and not putting enough toward roughly $9 billion unpaid bills.
Continued ... - Health centers to get $6M to help enroll uninsured
- Illinois Senate OKs union-backed pension deal
- Illinois Senate approves union-backed pension plan
- Republicans: Chair's resignation is time to reboot
- Illinois opens grant process for health guides
- Illinois Senate considers 2 state pension options
- Mayor, Ill. lawmakers make case for Chicago casino
- Court gives more time for concealed carry appeal
- Georgia trucker indicted in Illinois trooper death
- Quinn: Local option way to go on concealed carry
- More rain, snow could lead to more flooding
- Illinois investors worried about state economy
- Field Museum receives pieces of Russian meteorite
- Chicago pastors want gun control legislation
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