The analysis of 2402 prospective records of subjects consecutively attending eleven Emergency Rooms located in Northern, Central and Southern Italy, during the November 2002-May 2003 period, because of acute intoxication and poisoning (AI), shows that 10 admissions per 1000 are due to AI, accounting at national level for over 240,000 yearly admissions. Six AI of ten are caused by alcohol, alone or in combination with drugs and other poisonings, 2 by drugs and 2 by other types of AI. AI are more frequent among males (65%) and 20-40 ages. AI due to alcohol and drugs are more typical of young males, living in Central and Northern Italy, while those due to medicines are proportionally more represented among females of Southern Italy.