Edible pot found at TDMS

The Dalles Middle School Principal Pat Consoliver and Vice Principal Lance Masters said they are taking the matter very seriously and are still investigating it.

“The more time I can put into investigating and talking about it, that’s an investment into their future,” Masters said of students. “Research has shown that they’re going to make a better choice if an adult has talked to them first.”

Consoliver said it was the first time in his eight years at the school that edible pot was found.

“I think it does bring up some broader concerns about accessibility of marijuana,” Consoliver said.

Oregon voters legalized recreational use of marijuana last November and starting July 1, it will be legal for adults 21 and over to have up to eight ounces of marijuana in their home. It also allows possession of edible marijuana, which can take any form.

“It can look like comfort food and candy,” Consoliver said. “It does concern us.”

The fact that marijuana can be accidentally ingested in edible form is also a concern. “I don’t think anybody’s accidentally smoking a pack of cigarettes,” Consoliver said.

Masters has already called his counterparts in Washington to see how that state is handling legalization of recreational marijuana.

“It’s something we are going to be ready for at The Dalles Middle School. We’re going to do everything we can to make this a safe place,” Masters said. “Drugs are not welcome at our school. Our school is about keeping kids safe and learning and moving forward.”

Kramer said the students had shared a single Rice Crispy treat and he believed it was all consumed by the students. Police also recovered less than an ounce of marijuana from the students.

Kramer lauded the good work on the case by city Police Officer Shawna Lundry.

Consoliver and Masters said the school works on several fronts to combat the increasing prevalence of drugs in society.

“We have been working with our community partners to help students deal with the pressure related to drugs that they face outside of school,” Masters said.

Another effort, “Do Something,” which was previously called “Challenge Day,” encourages students to reach out to other students who may need someone to sit with at lunch, for example.

The program is about reaching out to students to let them know they share a lot of the same struggles with other students, and they’re not alone in their feelings. It’s an attempt to ward off isolation and the bad effects that can follow. “It’s so detrimental and that’s when they start looking for something else, because of their isolation,” Consoliver said.

In health class, students have a section on drugs and alcohol. “What we’re doing now for kids is a lot more supportive” than it used to be, Masters said.

School officials also meet monthly with local police to get updates on what is trending in terms of drug use and what to look out for.

While the school teaches students to make healthy choices across a range of areas, from nutrition to drugs, a broader issue, Masters said, is creating public awareness.

“Parents and guardians need to talk to their kids. There’s a danger out there,” Consoliver said.

Masters said there’s the truism of ‘don’t take candy from a stranger.’ “Know what you’re putting in your body.”

Masters said teachers at the school have such good relationships with students that students come to them with information about wrongdoing.