12 students sickened by marijuana gummies at Long Island middle school
A dozen children became ill after ingesting marijuana gummies at a New York middle school.
The students, ages 12 to 13, started vomiting after taking the edibles Monday morning at William Floyd Middle School in Moriches.
A spokesperson for the Long Island school district said a student gave out the gummies to 11 classmates.
11 students hospitalized after eating pot gummies
The sick students showed dizziness and racing heart rates in addition to vomiting, prompting the school nurse to call for EMT backup.
As word spread throughout the district, parents said they learned about the sick children from a message on the school's website, phone calls home, or their own children.
"You don't know where they got it from and what is mixed in there," said Felicia Moore. "My daughter texted me when it happened and said they were in a lockdown."
"It's disturbing ... my son is in 3rd grade," said Peter Giannetto.
In all, 11 students were hospitalized to be monitored or treated as a precaution. An update on their conditions is expected to be released Tuesday.
The 12th student was left with a parent.
"While we cannot discuss student discipline publicly due to privacy laws, we take this matter seriously and there will be appropriate consequences. We will continue to build upon our anti-drug programs and also continue to host grade-level assemblies highlighting the dangers of all drug use, including edible marijuana," William Floyd School District said in a statement.
Children taking edibles a growing problem
Edibles can be sold in jars and bundles that look like candy. The number of children being taken to emergency rooms for marijuana exposure has grown since edibles were legalized, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
It was not immediately clear how much THC, the ingredient that makes marijuana psychoactive, was in the gummies the students ate. Where and how the student procured them was also unclear.
"You don't even know what's in it," said Andrew Floyd, another parent. "It's crazy. I don't think they should be selling the stuff that looks like candy. You can't even tell the difference between the candy and the THC products."
Suffolk County Police said no criminal charges will be filed and that the school will handle any discipline.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, "If you use cannabis products, keep them in a locked childproof container and out of the reach and sight of children and pets. For additional questions, contact your healthcare provider, your health department, or your local or regional poison control center at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if it's an emergency."
Click here for resources from the New York City Health Department.
