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Well whoever gave out the gummy bears is probably finished as a student at Naperville North.
Doctor says Naperville North gummy bear candy contained marijuana
By Bill Bird
The hospital emergency room physician who coordinated Tuesday's treatment of 14 sick Naperville North High School students said the gummy bear candy the students ate contained marijuana.
Jennifer E. McNulty is the medical director for the Pediatric Emergency Department and Pediatrics at Edward Hospital in Naperville, where the students underwent treatment.
McNulty said Wednesday that, based on her observations of and conversations with the students, as well as her medical expertise and other factors, she is convinced the candy was either manufactured or laced with marijuana or marijuana oil, as opposed to alcohol or another foreign substance.
Local residents in recent years have had to deal with a rise in the use of heroin and other narcotics, McNulty said.
"I think this is just another sign that kids are using drugs," she said.
Naperville police Cmdr. Jason Arres said Wednesday night investigators "cannot confirm what the gummies were laced with, if anything, until we receive the results (of analysis) from the crime lab." Arres, during a Tuesday news conference, said it was possible the candy might have contained a marijuana-oil-type substance.
Arres said a 17-year-old boy on Tuesday was placed under arrest "for his involvement" in the incident, and that criminal charges against him "could, potentially, come at a later date. But we have other people to interview, and our investigation is continuing."
Naperville students sickened by tainted gummies
14 students from Naperville North treated at Edward Hospital related to gummy bears incident.
Twelve students who reportedly ate some of the candy were allowed to go home Tuesday after undergoing treatment in Edward Hospital's pediatric emergency room. Two others who reported feeling ill, and who might or might not have ingested some of the candy, were released later that day after undergoing observation and treatment at the hospital.
The students complained of suffering from accelerated heartbeats, dry mouths and dizziness shortly after eating the candy. McNulty said some also reported feeling "agitation, kind of like a panic attack."
Naperville School District 203 Superintendent Dan Bridges said school officials are assisting Naperville police in their investigation. It was not known whether police would file criminal charges or the district would handle the matter internally, in the event the tainted candy's provider is identified.
The district has done away with its zero-tolerance rules and now handles student discipline on a case-by-case basis. It also had considered random drug testing several years ago but opted not to pursue it.
That idea was raised in 2013 during a meeting to review the district's co-curricular code. An athletic coach had suggested requiring students covered by the code submit to mandatory drug testing in an effort to deter students from making bad choices concerning drug use, as well as getting help to those who need it.
A year later, the school decided student athletes or students who participate in any co-curricular activity with District 203 schools will not be subjected to mandatory random drug testing.
Bridges at the time said the district should remain focused on drug education and prevention.
Administrators told the board the recommendation against mandatory random student drug testing was made because random testing often does not achieve the results sought, and administrators questioned if drug testing is a proper role for a public school district. Officials also expressed fears that legal fees would rise over challenges concerning the chain of evidence, credibility of the laboratory used and privacy issues.
Both of the district's high schools are active with the Power of Choice Campaign, sponsored by 360 Youth Services; Operation Snowball; and other anti-drug student programs.
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