At least 10 Harrah students sick after taking prescription drugs

BY DIANA BALDWIN dbaldwin@opubco.com

Published: February 17, 2011

HARRAH — Three Harrah Junior High School students were taken to hospitals after they took prescription drugs at the school Wednesday.

At least seven other students were treated at the school with symptoms of overdosing on prescription drugs, said Phil Stewart, a Harrah police school resource officer. These students were examined by paramedics and emergency medical technicians in a makeshift triage area set up inside the school.

Early estimates were that between 75 and 100 pills of prescription drugs were recovered, Stewart said.

“The pills were scattered in five or six bottles,” Stewart said. “We don't have an exact figure at this time.”

One of the drugs taken by the students was Neurontin, often prescribed for back pain, Stewart said.

Symptoms were dizziness, slurred speech, nausea and loss of consciousness, Stewart said.

Students started getting sick around 11 a.m.

“We don't have a bigger problem than anywhere else,” Stewart said. “Today it was our turn out of the barrel. This is out of character for here.”

A criminal investigation is under way.