School Vendors to be Closely Monitored Following Cannabis Candy Incident

Esner Vellos

Cabinet has received a full update on the cannabis candies that affected several Belize City primary school students. Cabinet has urged the Minister of Home Affairs, Kareen Musa, to exert all possible efforts to ensure that those responsible for the incident are brought to justice. The discussion of the tainted candy incident led the Cabinet to take further action by reviewing the food and beverage offerings of vendors located near school campuses. In collaboration with educational institutions, the Ministry of Education has pledged to promote healthier food choices and better access to nutritious options for students through the Healthy Start Food Program. Today on Open Your Eyes, the Director of the National Drug Abuse Control Council, Esner Vellos, said that all stakeholders must be vigilant.

Esner Vellos, Director, N.D.A.C.C., M.O.H.W.

“The schools also need to be vigilant, the administration the schools have to be vigilant as to what is being sold inside the school and outside the school so that all of us come together and safeguard the good health and the morale of tour being not only of our kids but also of our adults. We need to understand that kids are in their developing process, and once they are exposed to these substances, the risk that these kids have of becoming addicts later in the future is very concerning as well. The National Drug Abuse Control Council teamed up with the Central Region and the Ministry to ensure that we are able to provide the services that we provide, not only to the school that has been affected but also to every single school of this country.”

Fortunately, none of the affected children suffered major injuries.