RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A relative of an Armstrong High School student is speaking out after four students ate edibles containing suspected cannabis, prompting an emergency response at the school.
Richmond Police Department officers, as well as Fire and EMS crews, were called to the school on Cool Lane in Richmond’s East End at around 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18, after it was reported that four students “were in medical distress.”
According to police, the four students “reported they had ingested items suspected to be cannabis” and were all treated at the scene. No one was reported to have been in critical condition, according to Richmond Public Schools.
Kelly Malone said she heard about the situation after she got a call from her niece, who is a student at Armstrong. She said it was disheartening to hear about the incident, but not surprising.
“I think peer pressure takes place at this age,” said Malone. “And I think as a community, especially as a parent, we want to implement to our young kids that we want them to be leaders and not followers. I know it starts at home.”
Malone has a teen daughter herself, who goes to a different school in the Richmond area. She had a similar sentiment about the situation as her mother.
“If y’all see other people doing it, don’t join in,” she said. “You can be your own person, you can be a leader and do your own. Like, walk away from it. Like, don’t jump in with what other people are doing.”
Kelly Carter, Armstrong’s principal, released a statement after the incident, which said in part: “While [the influence of] peer pressure is great at this age, we want to encourage students to feel comfortable reporting suspicious activities.”
