PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. – Four Putnam County elementary school students were evaluated after possibly consuming marijuana gummies on campus Thursday, the school and Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach said.
On Friday, DeLoach said a youth resource deputy — along with fire rescue — responded to Jenkins Elementary in Interlachen to a report of a possible overdose.
DeLoach said a 12-year-old female student reportedly was passing out and exhibiting symptoms of an overdose. The principal told deputies the child might have taken THC gummies along with three other students who may have eaten some as well.
“The first child was evaluated and transported by rescue personnel to HCA Florida Putnam Hospital for treatment,” DeLoach said. “Another child was taken by a parent to the hospital to be medically cleared as well. The other two children were evaluated by rescue and determined they needed no treatment.”
The ages of the children range between 12 and 13 years old — all 6th graders.
“All of the other students told deputies the first student gave them the gummies,” DeLoach said.
DeLoach said the investigation into what occurred continued as it was discovered the boyfriend of the girl obtained the gummies and gave them to her at her request through social media.
Rick Surrency, the Superintendent for the Putnam County School District, said the school will take disciplinary action and that they are waiting for the sheriff’s office to complete their investigation.
If this incident sounds familiar, it should because just last month, we reported on kids getting sick at school after consuming marijuana edibles on campus.
One of those incidents happened at Ridgeview High School in Orange Park.
That’s where a 15-year-old student was transported to the hospital in serious condition after eating a marijuana brownie with two other students.
The other incident happened days later at Westside High School in Jacksonville. That’s where a special needs student ended up in the hospital for two days after eating a marijuana edible. Her condition was much worse because she collapsed and was going in and out of consciousness.
According to the CDC, depending on the amount of psychoactive extract in marijuana, commonly known as THC, a child can become very sick after consuming a marijuana edible.
Symptoms can include problems walking and breathing and a higher-than-normal heart rate.
Given what has happened, authorities are urging parents with medical marijuana edibles to make sure those edibles are out of reach of their children.