Students caught selling ADD drug
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on January 10, 2008 2:10 PM
Three Rosewood High School students face 14 drug distribution charges for selling an attention deficit disorder medication at school, authorities said.
School Resource Officer Larry Mitchell found out Friday that a student went home ill on Dec. 2 after ingesting Vyvanse, prescribed to increase attention and combat hyperactivity.
The student who became ill was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and released for ingestion of the Schedule II drug, which can produce a euphoric effect in patients, Capt. Tom Effler said in a news release.
When deputies investigated, they found out a 15-year-old student with a prescription for Vyvanse had either sold or given the medication to other students, authorities said.
The students who received the drug also distributed it to other students, with a total of five students involved, Wayne County Schools spokesman Ken Derksen said.
According to the Sheriff's Office report, the school resource officer discovered the problem Friday afternoon, and said Rosewood principal David Alan Lewis was made aware of the incident.
Although only three of the students face criminal charges, all five students involved face some sort of discipline, Derksen said
"All five are facing disciplinary action," he said. "From the schools' standpoint, this is something that we cannot take lightly. The safety of our students is our top priority."
The schools do have some education programs in place to prevent such problems, Derksen added.
"You try to make sure the students are aware of what is appropriate at school, and what is not appropriate, regarding anything like this," he said.
Students at Rosewood High School and other schools who are prescribed medication must register the medication with the school nurse, Derksen said.
The nurse then dispenses the medication to the student at the appropriate time.
"What these students did is not only against the law, but also a danger to them," Derksen said. "They'll be facing disciplinary actions through the school system as well as being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."