Paramedics treated five teenagers at two separate Tijuana schools on Tuesday after the students ate gummies of unknown composition and showed signs of intoxication. None of the five required hospitalization.
Three students fell ill at Colegio Juan de Dios Fernández in Colonia Libertad, a neighborhood near the border crossing. Two more students at Escuela Secundaria General 27 in the Valle Dorado area showed similar symptoms the same day. Emergency responders evaluated all five on site and determined none needed to be transported to a hospital.
Two Schools, One Day Raise Questions
Authorities have not confirmed what substance the gummies contained. The fact that both incidents occurred on the same Tuesday at campuses in different parts of the city has raised concern about a possible common source for the candy. Colonia Libertad sits in Tijuana’s western zone near the San Ysidro port of entry, while Valle Dorado is a residential development in the eastern part of the city, roughly 20 minutes away by car.
The incidents come as schools across North America grapple with the problem of drug-laced edibles on campuses. In the United States, similar episodes have been reported in Florida, Texas, New York, and California in recent years, often involving THC-infused gummies that closely resemble regular candy.
A Growing Concern in Baja California
In Baja California, the availability of cannabis edibles has grown alongside a broader trend of drug products packaged to look like commercial sweets. These products can be especially dangerous for teenagers who may not know what they are consuming or how potent a dose they have taken.
Symptoms of intoxication from THC edibles can include dizziness, nausea, confusion, elevated heart rate, and in more serious cases, anxiety or loss of consciousness. Medical professionals recommend that anyone who suspects a child has ingested an unknown edible call emergency services immediately.
School administrators at both campuses have not publicly commented on the incidents or announced any additional safety measures. It remains unclear whether the students obtained the gummies on school grounds or brought them from outside.
The incidents were first reported by Jornada BC.