Sheriff:Newberry County student hospitalized after taking classmate’s marijuana edible

NEWBERRY, SC (WOLO) — A South Carolina teen faces charges in two counties after Deputies say they gave a classmate a marijuana edible that caused a bad reaction. 

Deputies say it happened earlier this week at Newberry Alternative School.

“She became more and more incoherent and unstable until she got to a point where she became completely unresponsive,” said Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster.

According to the sheriff, a Newberry Alternative School student needed EMS treatment after consuming marijuana at school this week. 

“Once we were able to bring her back around, she told us that she had consumed a marijuana edible,” the sheriffs said. “We opened an investigation into that and it led us to the juvenile we have placed in custody.”

The teenage male who brought the edible to school is facing additional charges in Union County. Investigators did a search of his home and found a home and more marijuana, including edibles.

“He also was manufacturing the edibles in his home,” Foster said. “To be honest with you, it was quite an elaborate operation for someone that age.”

Deputies say the 17 year old who gave his classmate the edible is facing charges for distribution of marijuana. 

Investigators believe that the student’s adverse reaction was due to the high concentration of THC in the edible. 

“It was good bit that was put into the edible. She consumed the whole thing,” Foster said. “Once it became part of the digestive system, it flooded her system and she was overdosed.”

The sheriff says that the situation was handled quickly thanks to the school’s nurse and resource officer, but warns that the incident could have been much worse. 

“If that marijuana edible had been laced with fentanyl, there’s a good chance she would have gone into a coma and could have died from it,” he said. “That’s that thing about consuming these products. You don’t know what’s in them.”

The teenager responsible for bringing the edible to school is currently being held at the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Columbia.