Recently, at North Broadway Elementary School in Escondido, California, four third-grade students consumed edibles, which are food items containing THC, while on school premises. As a result, one of the students, only 9 years old, required hospitalization for several days.

Claudia Curiel, the mother, describes the incident as a tragedy. "Seeing my child in that condition is what impacted me the most. Seeing his entire body trembling, unable to open his eyes, is something I'll never forget." According to a document from Rady Children's Hospital, it was a cannabis overdose.

"I asked him, 'What did you eat?' He mentioned the child's name and said, 'He gave me a gummy, and I ate it,'" the mother recalled, also claiming that her child was not the only one who consumed the gummies.

The four students were evaluated by the district school nurse after reporting feeling unwell following the consumption of a food product that may have contained THC, the controlled ingredient found in marijuana, according to a statement from the Escondido Union School District.

When doctors informed the mother that her child had ingested drugs, she felt horrified. But what was even more terrifying was hearing how much THC her child had consumed. "The doctors told me that my son consumed three gummies, each containing 400 milligrams of marijuana," she stated.

Dr. Beatriz Villareal has dedicated over 30 years to raising awareness about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. She asserts that drug-laced sweets can be easily mistaken for regular candies. "They don't know. They think it's fun," Villareal said. "When you're 9 years old and surrounded by many other kids, they think, 'Come on, have one, I'll have another.'"

She urges parents to use this case as an example to talk to their children. "Tell them about what happened in this case and explain that there was an elementary school and a 9-year-old child. Someone gave him a gummy bear with marijuana, and these are the consequences. He almost died," she explained.

The child was discharged after three days in the hospital and has returned to school, but his mother claims he's not the happy child he was before the incident; he is quiet and nervous. They fear the long-term consequences due to the amount of drugs he ingested.

Villareal also recommends that all school districts communicate with parents and educate them about the dangers and consequences of having drugs at home. Currently, there is no criminal investigation, according to the Escondido Police Department. Child Protective Services is conducting an investigation.

Since cannabis was legalized in 2015, the number of children requiring treatment at Rady Children's Hospital after ingesting it has increased from a few cases to hundreds each year. The average age of these patients is three and a half years, according to the hospital. The effects of excessive cannabis consumption in children can be potentially life-threatening. This information was reported by NBC San Diego.