Van Nuys Middle School students treated after ingesting cannabis edibles
Ten students at Van Nuys Middle School were treated for potential overdoses after possibly ingesting a cannabis product on Thursday.
Los Angeles Fire Department personnel were called to Van Nuys Middle School in Sherman Oaks at around 10:30 a.m. after receiving report that multiple students at the school, located on N. Vesper Avenue, were experiencing overdose-type symptoms.
By noon, 10 patients with ages ranged between 12 and 15 years old, had medical complaints and were treated for mild symptoms. Seven of those students were hospitalized.
"So we had 10 patients that were evaluated, seven of which required transport to a local hospital," said LAFD Captain Erik Scott. "I's important to note they were in mild-to-moderate distress. This is not any sort of fentanyl-affiliated overdose."
As the investigation continued, they learned that the students had possibly ingested some form of cannabis edibles, causing the adverse reactions.
"It is an ongoing investigation, so I cannot make any comment on that as far as definitively what the substance was," said LAUSD School Police Department Lieutenant Nina Buranasombati.
Los Angeles Unified School District officials said that none of the students were administered with Narcan, also known as naloxone.
"We take the health and safety of our students very seriously," according to a statement from a district representative."Every effort is made to ensure our students learn in a safe environment. Los Angeles Unified maintains an ongoing partnership with local health agencies, community partners and medical experts to provide training to school staff and education for our school communities."
Parents of students at VNMS nervously waited outside of the school's campus as more than 50 firefighters responded to the incident, causing many to think the worst.
"My mind is going 100 miles an hour," said Evangeelina Quintanilla. "I"m thinking of everything because I'm not only thinking of my son, but the rest of the kids because I work in the community."
Most parents were able to reconnect with their children at around noon, at which time they learned more about what had happened.
"I feel better but very sad at the same time because all these things happen at school, thinking that my kid is in a safe place," said Jose Mendoza. "This is crazy."
It was still unclear how the children obtained the substance.
