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Not one of the kids who ate the sweets are mentioned to be in a severe situation

By Kathryn Armstrong

BBC Information

Greater than 60 kids have been taken to hospital in Jamaica after consuming sweets containing hashish, the nation’s schooling minister mentioned.

Fayval Williams wrote on X (previously Twitter) that the first college pupils had been from the St Ann’s Bay space – about 80km (50 miles) from the capital, Kingston.

She mentioned some kids skilled vomiting and hallucinations.

None are reported to be in a severe situation.

“The doctors & nurses are doing all they can to ensure the students recover,” Ms Williams wrote on X, including that a number of of the kids needed to be placed on an intravenous (IV) drip.

“One little boy said he only had ONE sweetie. That’s how potent this product is. DANGER!”

Ms Williams mentioned the kids had been from St Ann’s Bay Major, however native information companies have reported that college students from the close by Ocho Rios Major College had been affected. The kids are considered between the ages of seven and 12.

The principal of the latter college advised the Jamaica Observer {that a} “lone vendor” had bought the sweets to its college students.

The pinnacle of the St Ann police division, Senior Superintendent Dwight Powell, has urged the particular person or anybody with details about them to contact the authorities.

Ms Williams posted pictures of the product packaging which is assumed to have contained the sweets, which specifies they aren’t to be bought to minors.

Every is alleged to comprise 100mg of the psychoactive substance Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is usually thought-about to be a excessive dose for an grownup.

In response to the US Meals and Drug Administration (FDA), Delta-8 has “intoxicating effects”.

The sweets, which aren’t FDA-approved, had been produced by an organization primarily based within the US state of California, the place hashish is authorized.

Jamaica decriminalised the possession of small quantities of hashish, also referred to as marijuana, for private use in 2015.

Nevertheless, Well being Minister Christopher Tufton advised the Jamaica Star that the federal government didn’t enable the import of edibles containing medicine.

The incident comes greater than every week after round 90 children fell ill in South Africa after consuming drug-laced muffins that officers mentioned they’d purchased from a avenue vendor.