Juveniles hospitalized after overdose

NLJ Staff
 
Two Newcastle teenagers were transported to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver on Oct. 18 after an apparent accidental overdose, defined as consuming too much of a drug, from THC edibles, according to a press release from Chief Sam Keller of the Newcastle Police Department. Keller reported Tuesday morning that both teens were released from the hospital and expected to fully recover from the incident.
“According to NPD Detective Michael Vaughn, the juveniles were provided edible marijuana gummy candy by a friend who had obtained them from a family member,” the release says. “The juveniles had an adverse reaction to the drugs and were taken to the hospital (Weston County Health Services) by their parents and later flown by medevac (medical evacuation) fixed-wing airplane to Denver Children’s Hospital.” 
The release continues that the drugs were purchased at a dispensary in Colorado and then illegally transported into Wyoming where they are still considered illegal. 
“Vaughn said the THC gummy container stated keep out of reach of children and that no one under the age of 18 should use the product. Each gummy contained a high level of THC concentrate,” the press release explained. 
Keller later reported that there is no evidence that other drugs or alcohol were involved. 
The emergency room doctor in Colorado explained that since the legalization of edibles and recreational THC, emergency rooms in Colorado had seen “20 to 100 juveniles on Friday and Saturday nights that have overdosed,” the detective said. The doctor told Vaughn that people need to be aware of dosing restrictions and that juveniles should not consume or use the THC edibles, recreational THC or medical marijuana.
Keller stressed the need for parents to talk with their children about peer pressure and drug use. He added that parents who happen to partake in THC should assure that the products are secured in some fashion and not easily accessible by their children. 
Weston County School District No. 1 Superintendent Brad LaCroix also stressed the need for parents to discuss peer pressure and drugs with their children. He noted that in situations like this, the school staff is prepared to assess the needs of the students involved and provide whatever services they may need to. 
“Monday mornings are triage usually, things tend to happen more with students over the weekend when there is less supervision. This situation just happens to be a little different because it is more public,” LaCroix said. “But lets face it, we have kids that are getting kicked out of their homes, facing other family issues, attending the occasional beer party, fighting with friends or being assaulted.”
LaCroix explained that every Monday morning school counselors and staff are prepared to help address any issues facing students. He maintained that the district does not look at just the incident that occurred but the whole student, whether it is their grades, attendance, addiction issues or any other contributing factors. 
“Kids are different these days, they deal with things we didn’t have to. There is social media, the internet, in many cases homes are different than they used to be and the stresses they face are different,” LaCroix said. “Now there is a pandemic which is stressful for everyone. We don’t take time to pass judgment on these kids. We find out where we need to put our services and evaluate the situation.” 
The accidental overdose and situation surrounding the incident is considered an ongoing investigation, the release said, adding that no further information will be released at this time.