CNN is reporting that all 19 people, the oldest one being 18 years old, were hospitalized after eating gummy candies believed to contain edible marijuana. Three of the party-goers, all younger than nine-years-old, were treated in the hospital’s ICU. All 19 patients were released by Monday.
Initial testing of some of the victims revealed they tested positive for THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Preliminary finding on the candies showed they also contained THC, according to the Public Health Department, reports CBS News.
At a Monday news conference, Officer Grace Gatpandan said the police were interviewing people to see if the candies were added to the birthday celebration intentionally, adding that there could be various ways this could happen. “We don’t want to automatically rush the assumption that this was an intentional act,” Gatpandan said.
The police are not identifying the Oakland company that catered the party and provided food for the gathering, nor are they saying how the candies were presented. The edible marijuana-laced gummies vary in price, but typically can be bought for about $25 for a pack of 10.
Dr. Craig Smollin, the co-director of the San Francisco branch of the California Poison Control Center says that ingesting the edible candy is not fatal. All the victims showed signs of the effects of marijuana, including a rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, lethargy and confusion.
The Inquisitr reports that Raul Hernandez, a security guard that worked the party on Saturday night, believes the candies were delivered in party favor bags. “These are innocent kids. They see a candy, they eat it,” he said.
Hernandez was the one who called 911 when people started throwing up, sweating and having difficulty breathing. “I had 21-year old who was gasping for air she could not speak,” he added.
The quinceañera was held at Women’s Building in the Mission District. A quinceañera is a special day for girls in many Latin American countries. It is the celebration of a young lady’s 15th birthday and a celebration of her passage into womanhood.
