Third-Grade Students Hospitalized After Ingesting THC-Infused Edibles

According to NBC San Diego, four third-grade students at North Broadway Elementary School in Escondido, California, were hospitalized after ingesting THC-infused edibles and becoming ill on Oct. 11.

“The widespread availability and commercialization of THC-infused ‘edibles’ is a growing concern for school communities statewide, including ours,” the Escondido School District said in a statement

Edibles can take the form of various treats like candy and cookies and some of these products have inherently appealing packaging to young children. Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego has seen an alarming increase in children falling ill due to consuming edibles, numbering in the hundreds annually.

“You take your average dose of an edible cannabis, which might be somewhere between 5 and 10 to 20 milligrams for an adult—that dose can make a child critically ill,” said Dr. Natalie Laub, a pediatrician at the the hospital, who works in the emergency department and sees these cases.

The average age of children admitted to the hospital for edible consumption is 3-and-a-half years old, reflecting the need for awareness and safety measures.

This trend isn’t limited to California alone. Last week in Lauderhill, Florida, six children at a Boys & Girls Club were hospitalized after consuming candy believed to be THC-infused. According to PEOPLE, eight children ingested the candy; six were hospitalized. The children have since been released from the hospital, according to the police.

A child brought the candy to the center, People reported.

All parents were notified of the incident and there are now “no concerns” for the health of the children, Lauderhill police said in a statement, according to People. As of Oct. 6 its investigation is ongoing and the substance the candy was “potentially infused with” remains unconfirmed, police said. No charges had been filed as well.