THC Found in Valentine's Day Food That Caused 28 Georgia Students to Be Hospitalized

Helen Murphy
Updated
More than two dozen students at Atlanta’s Sandtown Middle School were sent to the hospital on Valentine's Day

Investigators have detected THC in food samples taken from Sandtown Middle School in Atlanta, after more than two dozen students were hospitalized on Valentine’s Day because food they ate left them feeling ill.

Fulton County School District spokeswoman Susan Romanick told PEOPLE on Feb. 15, that 28 students were transported to local hospitals on Valentine’s Day.

Of the 28 students hospitalized, 25 were released to their parents or guardians the next day. Romanick added that the cause of illness was “being investigated.”

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said in a statement released on Thursday that they had received 46 items of food products from the Fulton County Schools Police Department for testing.

RELATED: 28 Georgia Middle School Students Hospitalized After Eating Candy on Valentine’s Day

“Test results of one of the items that has the appearance of cereal has revealed the presence of THC,” the statement said.

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main active ingredient in cannabis.

The GBI said it will continue to “make the complete analysis of all items related to this incident a priority.”

In a news release obtained by PEOPLE on Thursday, Dr. Shannon Flounnory, executive director of the school district’s division of safety and security, confirmed the GBI report that THC was found in one of the food samples, adding that the investigation is still “ongoing.”

“The FCS Student Code of Conduct specifically prohibits possession of unauthorized intoxicants on campus,” Flounnory continued. “We will investigate this thoroughly and will see this through to the fullest extent possible.”

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The release added that the district’s police department will “evaluate” the circumstances and decide if criminal charges should be filed.

“School counselors are available for students,” the release advised, “and parents may wish to contact medical professionals if they have additional concerns about the immediate health of their children.”