Officials said that over 60 young students from an elementary school in Jamaica had to be taken to the hospital on Monday. They had eaten candy that had been mixed with cannabis without realizing it.
Minister Fayval Williams, who is in charge of education and youth, informed CNN that none of the kids, ranging from 7 to 12 years old, seem to be in severe condition according to doctors.
The candy made the children throw up and see things that aren’t real, as said by her in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). She also mentioned that some kids had to be given medicine intravenously.
More than 60 young students from an elementary school had to go to the hospital. Parents, be cautious and vigilant. A young boy said he only had one piece of candy. “This product is very powerful. ”
The minister also said on X that she went to the hospital where the children were getting treatment, and she mentioned that the doctors and nurses are doing everything they can to help the students get better.
Williams put up a picture of some candy. The candy was packaged in a colorful package that had all the colors of the rainbow.
The packaging said the product has Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, also called delta-8 THC, which is a mind-altering substance found in the Cannabis sativa plant. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website says that marijuana and hemp are two kinds of the Cannabis sativa plant.
According to the US agency, it has effects that can alter your mind and make you feel drunk.
The minister also showed a picture of a candy package with a government warning on the back. The warning said that the candy should be kept away from children and it is not meant for people under 21 years old.
The package said that the product did not have approval from the FDA.
Jamaica made it legal for people who are 18 years old or older to have a small amount of cannabis. If they have 2 ounces or less (which is about 56 grams), it is considered a minor offense.