ATLANTA—Five Georgia middle school students face disciplinary action for sharing drug-tainted food with other students on Valentine’s Day.
WSB-TV reports Fulton County School officials said on Feb. 22, the students could eventually be suspended or expelled while school officials determine whether criminal charges will be filed.
#BREAKING Fulton county school officials talk about positive THC presence in Valentine treats at Sandtown Middle School. @FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/f4SZ2PdVau
— Aungelique Proctor (@aungeliquefox5) February 21, 2019
Investigators say THC was found in a food sample taken from Sandtown Middle School where students were sent to the hospital. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said tests showed THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana, was found in one of the samples that “has the appearance of cereal.”
BREAKING: 5 students facing possible expulsion for sharing marijuana edibles with classmates at Sandtown Middle School on Valentine’s Day. Others student may also face disciplinary action. Still no word on who made the edibles. 28 students taken to hospital. pic.twitter.com/8IXavjo31N
— Tom Regan (@tomreganWSB) February 22, 2019
School officials said 28 students were sickened and taken to hospitals. At the time, the students reported feeling shortness of breath and other reactions after eating food or candy.
All of the children had been treated and released on Friday, Feb. 22, said the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
In a report by WSB-TV, school officials said that no teachers got sick, only students.
There’s still no word on who made the edibles.
Contaminated Food
A report released on Tuesday, Feb. 12 by ANSA, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said that tainted food kills 420,000 people a year.
“Food contaminated with toxins, chemicals, bacteria, viruses or parasites causes more than 600 million people to fall ill and 420,000 to die worldwide every year, according to a report from the opening session of the First International Food Safety Conference, in Addis Ababa, organized by the African Union (AU), the FAO, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).”