Five junior high school students who smoked “Spice,” or synthetic marijuana, before four showed up at the campus last week received three-day suspensions, Santa Maria-Bonita School District officials said Monday.
The El Camino Junior High School students reportedly smoked the substance Friday morning.
Four showed up at school on Friday morning, where a principal noted one appeared to be under the influence of a substance.
Further investigation identified those involved and what they had used.
In addition to the three-day off-campus suspensions, the students were referred to Teen Court for counseling, Santa Maria-Bonita spokeswoman Maggie White said.
They will also receive counseling at school, according to White.
Some of the students were taken to Marian Regional Medical Center for assessment but were released before noon Friday.
“Spice” refers to a wide variety of herbal mixtures that produce a high similar to marijuana, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. But Spice is sold under many names, including K2 and fake weed. It’s often labeled “not for human consumption” and includes dried, shredded plant material and chemical additives to create the mind-altering effects.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.