16 Children Hospitalized After Eating Nicotine Lozenges
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Feb 20, 2013 8:40PM
The nicotine lozenges students probably thought were candy.
The 9- and 10-year-olds were taken from the South Side Wendell Green Elementary School in ambulances this morning after some children became ill with nausea and upset stomachs. “The children had taken them when they were distributed to the classroom,’’ Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said. "They thought they were candy.’’
Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Marielle Sainvilus said it was a "precautionary measure" and "at no time was there a threat to the safety of the school.”
The NiQuitin Minis are over-the-counter mints that boast a fast release of nicotine.