A fifth-grade student was suspended from school and her parents placed under investigation after she unknowingly shared THC-infused gummy bears at her New Mexico elementary school.
Laced Gummies
The student allegedly handed out the candy to fourth graders at the cafeteria of the Albuquerque School of Excellence. The incident took place last Thursday before the schools started.
Albuquerque School of Excellence Dean of Elementary School Students Kristy Del Curto said that three students ate one gummy each, and the child who brought the gummies ate three to four pieces.
One of the students who ate the edibles said that they initially thought the edibles were ordinary gummies, but she started to feel dizzy after eating them. The child who brought the gummies also started to feel ill in class and was sent to the school nurse.
"We noticed the student who initially brought the edible to our school was acting strange. She started saying she couldn't see," Del Curto said. "She thought she had food poisoning from something she ate in the cafeteria."
Box Labeled 'Incredibles'
When the nurse asked the child what else she had eaten, she said gummies. School authorities then asked to see the box she brought, which had been already thrown in the trash.
After retrieving the box labeled "Incredibles," Del Curto said that they immediately knew the that the content was not candy. Paramedics had to monitor the students to make sure they were not having dangerous reaction.
School authorities cautioned the parents about the risks of sharing food and drinks. They also reminded community members to be on the lookout for dangerous drugs and edibles.
"We would like to remind all students and parents to be cautious about food/drink sharing ... and we would like our community to be alert with drugs and any edibles that may or could be in different formats," the school said. "We kindly ask our parents and community members not to talk explicitly about drugs/medicine when students are present."
THC
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is an active ingredient commonly found in cannabis. THC gummies can be twice to 100 times more potent than traditional marijuana. Last year, 11 teenagers were admitted to a hospital in Indiana after ingesting gummy bears with extremely high levels of THC. They reported experiencing hallucinations, pain in the leg, rapid heart rate, and blurred vision,
Laced edibles have become a potential hazard for young children and even teens. Last year, a 10-year-old boy was rushed to the emergency room after eating sour gummy laced with medical marijuana.
