What is THC? Armstrong High School incident explained as emergency crews respond

At least four students of Armstrong High School in Richmond, Virginia, allegedly consumed edibles suspected to be cannabis containing an overdosing compound called THC. As per the Richmond Police Department’s statement to WRIC, they were called to the school premises around 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, October 18.

Alongside the police, other first responders, such as the fire department and EMTs, were also called in to tend to four minors “who were in medical distress.”

Fortunately, as per the news outlet, no students are in critical condition but they exhibited side effects of ingesting edibles like cannabis containing THC.

However, police are investigating and have encouraged locals to come forward and provide any information they might have regarding the incident. Meanwhile, parents were also notified about the incident.

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All you need to know about THC, the cannabinoid ingested by Armstrong High Schoolers

According to the Oxford Dictionary, cannabis refers to a tall, annual, dioecious plant native to Central Asia that has alternate and palmately divided leaves and tough bast fibers.

Now, various parts of this plant are used to prepare a drug also called cannabis, which is mildly euphoriant, sedating, intoxicating, and hallucinogenic. As per WebMD, the cannabis plant contains compounds called cannabinoids, and one of the most common cannabinoids is THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol.

According to the website, THC often releases neurotransmitters in the brain and impacts the pain, mood, sleep, and memory of a person. In fact, THC happens to be the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana, which apparently makes people feel “high.”

However, THC is also an important ingredient in medical marijuana and is used to treat multiple sclerosis pain, nerve pain, Parkinson’s tremors, nausea, and glaucoma, among others. The side effects include lack of concentration, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, disbalance, and memory loss.

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Exploring the Armstrong High School incident

On Wednesday morning, four students of Armstrong High School allegedly consumed cannabis by mistake and exhibited distressful symptoms near the East Highland Park campus of the school in Richmond, Virginia.

When the police arrived on the scene to check up on them, they confessed to ingesting unknown substances, which they believed to be cannabis. As per Richmond.com, three of them were treated on scene for “non-life-threatening conditions,” while one was taken to the local hospital as a precaution.

In this regard, the principal of Armstrong High School, Kelly Carter, issued a statement to the media and the Armstrong High School Community on Wednesday afternoon.

“I am writing to inform you of an event that occurred at school today where four students experienced a reaction to an unknown substance. Our school nurse and administrators took immediate action to investigate the situation and provide care for the affected students. Emergency professionals were on site to assist and support the affected students.”

She also added how the goal of Armstrong High School was to continue to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment, which was “paramount to all Richmond Public Schools.” The principal also mentioned how the incident was taken “seriously” and urged the guardians to speak to the students about the dangers of consuming unknown substances and explain to them the risk of peer pressure.

The statement also encouraged students to come forward and feel free to report any suspicious activities they witness on the school campus to the authorities.

WTVR also reported that Richmond Public Schools released an official statement on the incident and confirmed that “four students ingested edibles that are believed to have contained THC.” However, they also noted that no overdoses took place.

Meanwhile, it is important to note, that as per Richmond.com, between January and March of 2023, at least 629 minors in Virginia visited emergency rooms after consuming cannabis, such as hemp. The data, according to them, was derived from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.