7 middle school students sent to hospital after ingesting THC edibles during the school day: Police

CONCORD, N.C. -- Two students have been arrested for allegedly supplying THC edibles and psilocybin mushrooms that sent at least seven students to the hospital for observation when they all ingested the drugs during the school day, police said.

Last Friday, at approximately 12:33 p.m., Cabarrus County Schools contacted the Concord Police Department after a number of students at C.C. Griffin Middle School -- located some 20 miles northeast of Charlotte, North Carolina -- had what police say were "negative reactions to ingesting an unknown substance," according to a statement from the Concord Police Department describing the incident.

"Police investigators recovered a sample of the rice krispy treat eaten by students, and it tested positive for THC," police said. "The sample has been sent to a lab for additional testing, and it will likely take several months before those results are returned. Police also recovered illegal psilocybin mushrooms."

In total, seven students were taken to Atrium Health Cabarrus for observation after ingesting the drugs, police said.

"Working with the school system, police investigators interviewed several students and learned that this was a planned activity," according to the Concord Police Department. "Two students shared with classmates that they had access to THC edibles, and in advance of Friday, some students made an agreement to buy some of those edibles."

As a result, the THC edibles were brought to school on Friday and shared among a group of students, some of whom also admitted to ingesting psilocybin mushrooms, before several of them had negative reactions to ingesting the illegal substances, police said.

"The investigation also revealed that students knowingly ingested the edibles," authorities said. "All the students who ate a piece of the rice krispy treat and who spoke with police admitted to knowing that they were eating a THC edible."

The Concord Police Department subsequently filed petitions through the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice for the two students who brought the edibles to school so that they could be held responsible for the incident.

"One student is being charged with two counts of possession with intent to deliver a Schedule VI drug," said the Concord Police Department. "One student is being charged with one count of possession with intent to deliver a Schedule I drug."

The Concord Police Department is continuing to investigate this incident, including the original source of the THC edibles and psilocybin mushrooms, and their investigation is currently ongoing.