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Over 60 children in Jamaica have been hospitalized after consuming sweets laced with cannabis, according to the country's education minister, Fayval Williams, on X (formerly Twitter). The affected primary school students are from the St Ann's Bay area, located approximately 80km (50 miles) away from the capital city, Kingston.
Symptoms experienced by some of the children included vomiting and hallucinations, although none of them were in critical condition. Ms. Williams expressed gratitude to the doctors and nurses who are working diligently to ensure the students' recovery. Several of the children required the administration of intravenous (IV) drips.
Ms. Williams highlighted the potency of the cannabis-infused sweets by sharing the account of a young boy who claimed to have consumed only one piece. This alarming incident serves as a stark warning of the inherent danger of this product.
Children from St Ann's Bay Primary and Ocho Rios Primary School have been affected by a recent incident involving the consumption of illicit sweets. The sweets, which were sold to the students by a lone vendor, contained a high dose of the psychoactive substance Delta-8 THC. The packaging clearly stated that the sweets were not to be sold to minors. The Head of St Ann police is urging anyone with information to come forward.
These unapproved sweets, produced by a company in California where cannabis is legal, contain 100mg of Delta-8 THC, which is considered a high dose even for adults. The intoxicating effects of Delta-8 THC are recognized by the US FDA.
Despite the decriminalization of cannabis in Jamaica, the government does not allow the import of edibles containing drugs. This incident, following a similar one in South Africa, highlights the dangers of illicit drug-laced products being sold to unsuspecting children.
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