Police say a 12-year-old was formally cautioned after cannabis edibles were brought into an elementary school in Windsor, Ont., earlier this week, leading to several students ingesting the product and one child being taken to hospital as a precaution.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Windsor Police Service confirmed officers responded to a report on Tuesday involving students who had consumed THC gummies.
“Three children were assessed by EMS, and one was transported to hospital out of an abundance of caution,” police said.
“A 12-year-old youth was formally cautioned for providing cannabis to a person who appeared to be under 25 years of age and was subsequently released to the care of their parents.”
Police did not identify the students involved.
The incident drew attention after images of multiple ambulances outside Hugh Beaton Elementary School circulated on social media, raising concern among parents and community members.
The Greater Essex County District School Board declined to comment, citing student privacy.
Potency far exceeds legal limit
According to Jeff Fuchs, the father of the Grade 8 student sent to hospital, the gummies consumed by students contained roughly 100 milligrams of THC — about 10 times the maximum allowed in a package of legal cannabis edibles sold in Canada.
Under federal regulations, Health Canada limits edible cannabis products sold through licensed retailers to 10 milligrams of THC per immediate container.
Fuchs told CTV News that one student admitted to bringing them into the school after allegedly purchasing them through social media.
Health risks for children
Dr. Mehdi Aloosh with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit says edible cannabis can pose serious risks — especially for children.
“Edible cannabis has risks to children, older adults, and people with underlying diseases,” Aloosh said. “These individuals are more susceptible… particularly to edible cannabis.”
Aloosh said children exposed to cannabis edibles may experience a range of symptoms.
“Anxiety, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and sometimes coma,” he said.
He also cautioned against the perception that cannabis products are harmless.
“These are potent drugs that can have significant effects on different people,” Aloosh said.
Aloosh noted that edibles can be especially dangerous because of how long they take to take effect.
“It takes longer for people to see the effect of these products,” he said. “It takes up to two hours to see the results… so they might feel that they need more.”
He emphasized the importance of buying legal products, understanding potency and keeping cannabis stored safely.
“Make sure that where they’re buying from,” he said. “And make sure that they are stored properly at home — not accessible to children and pets.”
With files from AM800’s Dustin Coffman
