Eight Litchfield students fell ill after eating cannabis food at school

AKRON, Ohio — 8 Litchfield Middle School fell ill after some students ate cannabis edibles on Tuesday and were taken to the hospital, school officials said.

Akron Public Schools

One student was taken by EMS to a local hospital, according to school leaders. Two other of her students were taken by their parents for treatment.

According to Principal Jessica Sachs, students put the gummies in colorful packages with a “very strong” warning written on them.

Seven girls and one boy started getting sick within hours after an eighth-grade student shared gummies with other students in the third-floor bathroom, Sachs said.

“Most of them were nauseous. Some were very lethargic and some were very tired,” Sachs said. “It’s very worrying. I don’t think anyone really understood the gravity of the situation until they saw how many students started getting sick when it first happened.”

Sachs praised another student for notifying the teacher that something inappropriate was going on in the bathroom after overhearing the food story.

“We actually held a class meeting this morning to address this issue. We want our children to know that if anything suspicious is happening they should let an adult know immediately. “I want them to understand that they have a choice. They don’t have to give in to peer pressure.”

Tamika Legions told News 5 that her daughter’s friend got very sick from the gummies.

“I think it’s a mess,” Legion said.

Dr. Stephen Sondyke, director of adolescent medicine at Akron Children’s Hospital, believes canniba-infused gummies and other similar products will appeal to children with their colorful packaging.

“We ask parents not to purchase these products as they may be very attractive to children.

Sondike says gummies not only get kids high, but they can cause a variety of health concerns.

“It can make them very sick from agitation, heart problems, breathing problems,” he said.

Sachs said the investigation is ongoing and many of the students involved could face disciplinary action.

“It is up to us to ensure the safety of our students. By us, we mean the community. It is the parents who are involved. It helps students understand what it means to have healthy relationships.”