San Francisco health officials suspect the gummy sweets that sickened 19 people including a 6-year-old at a birthday party contained edible marijuana.
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All 19 people were hospitalized after they suffered rapid heart rate, dilated pupils, high blood pressure, dizziness, lethargy, confusion and nausea – all effects of ingesting edible cannabis, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
The candy sickened 19 people who unknowingly ate the marijuana-laced candy at a quinceañera party. In Latin cultures, a quinceañera marks a girl’s coming of age when she turns 15.
“We don’t want to automatically rush the assumption that this was an intentional act”, Gatpandan said.
The Department of Public Health has not yet done a final analysis of the gummy ring sweets, but blood work of the patients revealed levels of THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana.
“The question remains, where did the sweets come from?” said Aragon.
Nineteen people were taken to hospitals, 13 of them 18 years old or younger, health officials said.
Health officials said an Oakland-based company catered the party.
The prices of the sweets vary widely, but they typically can be bought for about $25 for a pack of 10. “If they are sickened, they should report to the California Poison Control Center for advice”.
Authorities are concerned about making sure marijuana edibles that are attractive to children – such as gummy rings – do not get into kids’ hands. At some point during the festivities, partygoers consumed the sweets.
Dr. Tomas Aragon, a health officer for Department of Public Health, said in a statement that the incident served as a reminder about responsible drug use. It’s also hard to control the proper dosage.
A special unit of the San Francisco Police Department is investigating how 19 people including a 6-year-old child could have eaten gummy sweets at a birthday party that most likely were marijuana edibles.
Raul Hernandez was working security Saturday night.
Paramedics were called to the Women’s Building on 18th Street just after 10 p.m. Saturday when people started feeling sick.
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A 28-years-old man from MI was arrested in connection with the overdoses, the sheriff’s office said Monday.
