Manchester Ed Chief Turns THC Snafu Into Social Studies Lesson

MANCHESTER, CT — The head of the Manchester public school system is using a snafu over a cannabis edible showing up at a school as a life lesson in modern day Connecticut.

Manchester Superintendent of Schools Matt Geary this week sent a letter home to parents about the matter.

"I'm writing to share a story that illustrates how easily and even inadvertently children can be put at risk and how important parental oversight and involvement can be in ensuring their safety," he wrote.

Geary said the "alarmed" mother of a fourth-grader contacted school administrators this week after finding a small, wrapped "honey packet" in her child’s backpack the previous Friday. The mom told school system officials that her child said that another student had given him the packet, Geary said.

Geary said the child's mom indicated she initially thought nothing of it but later, when cleaning out the backpack, she noticed the word "Pharma." on the packet. She then checked the small print and found it contained THC, Geary said.

"We very much appreciate the parent reaching out to the school," Geary said.

Gary said school system officials learned that a parent who had purchased the packet "legally for medical use" had left the packet in the pocket of a jacket that was mistakenly worn to school by her child.

"We are told no children consumed the honey and are grateful for that," Geary said. "However, we share this story as a cautionary tale. As you may know, adult use of cannabis is now legal in Connecticut and children, because of their small body size and weight, can be especially vulnerable to cannabis poisoning. Edible cannabis items can resemble common snacks and children may be unable to tell the difference, so we urge adults to keep cannabis in child-resistant containers or packages, and stored in a locked compartment, drawer, or cupboard that is out of sight and out of reach."

He added, "Keeping children safe requires constant vigilance and we all benefit from working together and looking out for one another."