In Lauderhill, Florida, six children were rushed to the hospital on Wednesday after consuming candy suspected to be laced with cannabis at a local Boys & Girls Club, according to law enforcement officials.
The Lauderhill Police Department responded to three separate calls from the Boys & Girls Club after eight children reportedly ate the candy. The emergency calls were made between 3:30 and 6 p.m. local time. According to one of the calls, a 6-year-old girl had brought the edibles to the club and shared them with other children.
Upon arrival at the club located at 5455 NW 19th St., police and firefighters treated two of the children on-site before releasing them to their parents. The other six children were taken to the hospital for further evaluation. They were in stable condition and have since been discharged, according to the police.
A representative from the club confirmed that three of the children were feeling better and had returned to the after-school center. The children who consumed the candies ranged in age from 6 to 8 years old.
Upon discovering the incident, the club staff immediately contacted local authorities and medical personnel. “We are continuing to monitor the situation and the status of all youth involved,” said Jay Juliano, a spokesperson for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County. “The safety and protection of the young people we serve is always our absolute highest priority.”
Parents were promptly informed about the incident. The Lauderhill police stated that there are currently no health concerns for the children involved. The investigation is ongoing, and the substance with which the candy was potentially infused remains unconfirmed. No charges have been filed in relation to the incident.
This incident adds to the rising number of calls to Florida’s Poison Control Centers regarding exposures to marijuana edibles. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there were 207 cases of children under 6 ingesting edible cannabis in 2017.