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NJ.com

February 16, 2024

Four Camden County middle school students were treated at a hospital this week after they consumed what a school official said were marijuana gummies.

A student at Phifer Middle School in Pennsauken brought the gummies from home on Wednesday, Valentine’s Day, and shared them with three other students either before school or sometime during the morning, according to Pennsauken Schools Superintendent Ronnie Tarchichi.

Those students later appeared lethargic and glassy eyed, and the school nurse evaluated them, the superintendent said.

“If we see anything, we want to make sure that there’s further medical evaluation per our policies, so we sent them to a medical facility,” Tarchichi said, adding that the students have fully recovered.

The three students given the gummies were back to school, he said Friday, and the sixth grader who brought the items to school was disciplined per district policy.

While the student who brought the gummies to school was affected after consuming the substance, the child’s symptoms did not appear as significant as the others, “showing us that the student probably consumed this before,” the superintendent noted, adding that he believes the youth knew the gummies weren’t just candy.

Exactly what the kids consumed remains under investigation, Pennsauken Police Chief Phil Olivo said Friday.

“They were treated medically. We’re waiting on the results of their testing from the parents to see what the substance was,” the chief said.

No unconsumed gummies were recovered, Olivo said.