INTERLACHEN, Fla. – Four children were sent to a hospital after ingesting THC gummies at Robert H. Jenkins, Jr. Elementary School in Interlachen Friday, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
First responders arrived at the school at about noon after getting reports of four children presenting symptoms of being under the influence of a substance, deputies said.
The sheriff’s office said all four second-graders were transported to the HCA Florida Putnam Hospital, and their guardians were notified.
This investigation is ongoing. However, deputies said at this time it appears one of the students got into a family member’s THC gummies.
The sheriff’s office said this incident serves as a reminder for parents and guardians to protect children from exposure to gummies and other medications as many of these edibles look like candy.
“We know some people use these products to curb anxiety, pain and other conditions. However, these items are not approved for children,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.
According to the sheriff’s office, leaving these edibles in an area where a child can have access can be considered child neglect.
Last year deputies had several cases of elementary school children getting possession of these types of items and getting sick, the sheriff’s office said.
“If you have these types of products in your home, put them away and keep them away from children,” deputies wrote. “We know [sic] have several worried parents because of the carelessness of an adult.”
It is not the first time Jenkins Elementary School has seen an incident like this.
Back in April, the school had a similar situation.
RELATED: 4 students taken to hospital after eating marijuana gummies at Putnam County elementary school
Florida Poison Control Mike McCormick said the format of these products is attractive to children.
“One of the things we also worry about is if you were being treated with medical marijuana, you would have a dose that you would take so it might be the equivalent of one gummy would be the dose. The problem is when a child gets their hands on it very seldom will they stop with just one. They’re going to eat many which makes the dosing obviously much higher and can be in very unsafe levels,” McCormick said.
He also encourages parents and guardians if they have products like this in their home to treat it like a serious medication.
“They need to be locked up under lock and key and preferably under lock and key where children don’t even see you know what you’re locking them in. They make medication boxes, they make medication bags that have lots, some of them now have both keys and combinations to kind of add an extra layer of security,” he said.