Editing Poison (section)

{{Short description|Substance that causes death, injury or harm to organs}}
{{distinguish|Venom}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=January 2022}}
[[File:GHS-pictogram-skull.svg|thumb|The [[Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals|international]] [[GHS hazard pictograms|pictogram]] for poisonous substances. The [[Skull and crossbones (poison)|skull and crossbones]] has long been a standard symbol for poison.]]

A '''poison''' is any [[chemical substance]] that is harmful or [[Lethality|lethal]] to [[Organism|living organisms]]. The term is used in a wide range of [[Branches of science|scientific fields]] and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied [[colloquial]]ly or figuratively, with a broad sense. 

Whether something is considered a poison or not may depend on the amount, the circumstances, and what living things are present. [[Poisoning]] could be accidental or deliberate, and if the cause can be identified there may be ways to neutralise the effects or minimise the [[symptoms]].

In [[biology]], a poison is a [[chemical substance]] causing [[death]], injury or harm to [[organism]]s or their parts. In [[medicine]], poisons are a kind of [[toxin]] that are delivered passively, not actively. In industry the term may be negative, something to be removed to make a thing safe, or positive, an agent to limit unwanted [[pest (organism)|pests]]. In [[ecology|ecological terms]], poisons introduced into the environment can later cause unwanted effects elsewhere, or in other parts of the [[food chain]].