2 High Schoolers OD On Drug-Laced Candy, Police & School District Investigating

Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter

UNIONTOWN (KDKA) -- Two Laurel Highlands High School students became temporarily incapacitated after consuming gummy bears that officials say were laced with THC, a substance that produces a marijuana-like buzz.

"Both students were acting and feeling lethargic," School Superintendent Dr. Jesse Wallace III said. "As a result of that, we acted and determined there was obviously something not right. Safety became the most important thing, and we tried to get them help as quickly as possible."

The superintendent told KDKA-TV's Ralph Iannotti that the students apparently both consumed the THC candy at the same time. They first went to the school nurse's office, first responders then arrived and both students were taken to the hospital. They've now been released.

"To our knowledge, we feel that the product was ingested here in our school building, unfortunately," said Dr. Wallace.

The overdoses prompted Dr. Wallace to put out a warning on the district's website. He noted that the candy can be easily purchased online, but the recreational use of marijuana is still illegal in states like Pennsylvania.

"Whenever you have a crisis like this in a public school setting, it's important for all students, parents and families to know you have to talk to your kids," Dr. Wallace said. "You have to have open conversations with them about what's going on in their lives, and you need to stay away from these types of things."

Officials confiscated the candy wrappers, packaged by a company called Sweet Stone Candy.

The school district and state police are investigating where the candy came from and who purchased it.