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Police: No drugs detected in candy confiscated at Bellingham middle school

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — UPDATE: Bellingham Public Schools Superintendent Greg Baker sent a letter to families Friday night saying that after a full lab analysis, the Bellingham Police Department found that the candy that was confiscated at Kulshan Middle School on Thursday did not contain any illegal substances. School officials initially said that the candy tested positive for fentanyl, another opioid called A17, and GHB.

“We thank BPD for partnering with us on keeping our students safe. Although it turned out that this particular substance was not a danger, thank you in advance for understanding that we chose to err on the side of caution and communicate widely, in the interest of public safety,” Baker said in the letter.

PREVIOUS: Families in Bellingham are on high alert after school staff found drug-laced candy at Kulshan Middle School.

The school district said in a letter to the community on Friday that the day before, staff members confiscated candy from a student that looks like gummies but contained fentanyl as well as other drugs. It’s not clear what prompted the staff member to confiscate the candy.

The candies are green and square in shape, covered in a white powder, and look like chewing gum or gummy candies. The school district says the edibles smelled like mint gum.

Staff members worked with Bellingham police to get the gummies tested and found they were laced with not only fentanyl, but also another opioid called A17, and GHB — which is known as a date rape drug.

Superintendent Greg Baker said the school has instructed students at Kulshan Middle School to not share gum or candy.

The school district said the middle school is giving lessons to kids about the dangers of fentanyl, and those lessons will be shared at all schools. Baker is also urging parents to educate themselves and talk with kids on risks of the drug.

In the letter, Baker said Narcan was already available at Bellingham high schools, but now Narcan has also been expanded to middle schools.

So far no word on where these gummies came from, but KIRO 7 has reached out to Bellingham police to ask for details on the investigation.