An Upstate New York teacher has been placed on leave after “inadvertently” giving two students marijuana edibles.
A Buffalo Public Schools teacher was put on paid administrative leave after the teacher “inadvertently gave two students edible gummies” on April 1, according to WIVB. A BPS spokesperson said the incident occurred at Public School 79, also known as the William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence on Lawn Avenue in Buffalo, N.Y.
WKBW reports the teacher allegedly mistook a a bag of THC edibles for candy and offered some to the students during a swim class. The packaging resembled Sour Patch Kids, but a small label indicated the gummies contained 500 milligrams of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the chemical that gets cannabis users high.
One of the students reported feeling sick afterwards, prompting both students to be taken to a hospital for evaluation. Their parents and Buffalo Police were notified immediately.
According to a police report, the teacher admitted giving the gummies to the students but said he did not know they were infused with THC. The district placed the teacher on paid administrative leave that same day.
The teacher was not named, and additional information about the affected students has not been released. Officials did not say if the incident had any connection to April Fools Day pranks, but said the issue was being taken seriously.
“The district is committed to protecting the health and well-being of its students. Please be advised that this was an isolated incident,” a Buffalo Public Schools statement said. “Confidentiality prohibits the district from sharing additional information, but please be assured that the incident was taken extremely seriously and was responded to swiftly.”
WKBW reports the district also reminded students that they may only eat snacks during lunch and are not permitted to share for health and safety reasons.
Recreational marijuana was legalized in New York state in 2021, but remains illegal for users under age 21. Edible products have faced criticism over packaging that looks like candy; nearly 200 children under the age of 6 ended up in emergency rooms last year after ingesting or being exposed to weed products, according to the Upstate New York Poison Center.
