‘Cannabis muffins’ given to more than 90 South African school children

Dozens of South African school children were hospitalized after eating muffins believed to have been laced with cannabis.

The children bought the pot-filled pastries, dubbed “space muffins,” from a street vendor near the Pulamadibogo Primary School in Soshanguve, roughly 20 miles northwest of Pretoria in Gauteng province.

“According to the information at our disposal, the learners then started behaving strangely while they were in class in school and then the educators had to call the emergency services,” said Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona.

The primary school students began experiencing nausea, stomach pain and vomiting.

An unknown number of students were evaluated and treated at the scene. Ninety of the pupils were hospitalized and quickly released. Three were in unknown conditions.

“Only three girl learners remain in hospital, and they are still receiving the necessary medical attention to return to health,” Mabona said.

Two suspects, aged 19 and 21, were arrested and face attempted murder charges. They are scheduled to appear in court on Friday. Their identities were not released.

The Democratic Alliance political party called for school districts to better vet vendors who sell near schools “to protect the learners from drugs and food poisoning,” spokesperson Khume Ramulifho said.