On Monday, paramedics were called to El Camino Junior High School in Santa Maria after five students ingested cannabis gummies and needed medical attention.
El Camino Principal Kester Bantin told KSBY News that he, school nurses, and administrators provided immediate care to the students but then called first responders when additional help was needed.
While Bantin did not provide specific details about the symptoms the students were experiencing, in a statement sent out to school families, he advised parents about the dangers of youth cannabis consumption and recommended seeking medical advice if their child experiences “unexplained symptoms,” like incoherence, tiredness, vomiting, and inability to move.
He said each of the impacted students received the medical treatment they needed and they are now feeling better.
“What we are trying to do is make sure that Santa Maria-Bonita School District is the safest place it can possibly be for young people,” Bantin said. “We also reach out to our community because we recognize that we do have concerns in our community about drug use, and what we are trying to do is educate children so they know what safe is for them.”
Principal Bantin said this is the first time a narcotic incident like this has happened at El Camino Jr. High School in the past several years.
He said the middle school will also be hosting a drug education night next Tuesday evening in the El Camino cafeteria.
