Officials say muffins contained marijuana

[palmspringsbum]

Posted on Fri, May. 19, 2006

Officials say muffins contained marijuana


By BILL MILLER and CAREN M. PENLAND
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITERs

<img src=bin/muffin-man_dallas.jpg align=right alt="Surveillance video from Lake Highlands High School shows a man in his late teens or early 20s delivering muffins to the school. The muffins, which sickened 18 employees of the Dallas school, were tainted with marijuana, Dallas County health officials said.">DALLAS -- The muffins that sickened 18 employees of a Dallas high school this week were tainted with marijuana, Dallas County health officials said Thursday.

The employees of Lake Highlands High School got sick and went to the hospital after eating muffins left in the teachers lounge Tuesday morning.

"According to physician reports and patient interviews, patient symptoms are consistent with acute marijuana toxicity," said Dr. John Carlo, medical director for Dallas County Health and Human Services. "Additionally, several of these patients have tested positive on urine drug screens for cannabinoids."

On Thursday, FBI investigators released images from a surveillance video showing a man in his late teens or early 20s delivering the muffins to the school.

The video shows a man carrying a bag in one hand as he walked to the school office Tuesday morning. He has dark hair and was wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants.

Investigators are showing the images to students to see whether they can identify the man. He is being sought for questioning. If he is arrested, he could face federal product-tampering charges in addition to local and state charges, an FBI spokesman said. The tampering charges carry a 10-year sentence.

Anyone with information about the man's identity is asked to call the FBI at (972) 559-5000.

Staff writer Mitch Mitchell contributed to this report.


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Bill Miller, (817) 390-7684 wmiller@star-telegram.com Caren M. Penland, (817) 548-5412 cpenland@star-telegram.com