11 Tampa charter school students sickened after eating candy believed to be laced with Delta-9 THC: TPD

TAMPA, Fla. - More than 10 students at New Springs Charter School in Tampa got sick after eating candy believed to be laced with Delta-9 THC, according to officers. 

The Tampa Police Department said they responded to the school, which is located at 2410 East Busch Boulevard, just after 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. School staff told police that several children got sick after eating the candy. 

School employees told TPD that they found a clear cylindrical container that had two pieces of what looked like Nerds-branded candies, sometimes legally sold as Delta-9 THC products in Florida. 

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Investigators said 11 children, all ranging in age from 9-11 years old, said they felt dizziness, nausea, lethargy and numbness in their legs and arms. These were all students at the school who had eaten a piece of the candy, officials confirmed. 

Each of the students were picked up by their parents, and Tampa police said three of them were taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. No serious injuries were reported, officers said. 

Authorities said they do believe one of the students brought the candy to school. Detectives, though, are working to find out where it came from, who brought it to school and how it ended up in the students' hands. 

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The police department is urging parents to teach their kids to ask a trusted adult before eating anything they find, especially if it's not in a familiar location. According to officials, parents should also have age-appropriate conversations with their children about candy containing ingredients that could make them sick. 

Anyone who believes their child ingested THC-infused items is urged to call Poison Control by calling 800-222-1222, the child's primary care provider or seek medical attention. 

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