‘Several medical emergencies’ at Prestonsburg schools prompts investigation. Police say it was mislabeled vape products

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (WTVQ) — A recent rise in medical emergencies among Prestonsburg junior high and high school students prompted an investigation. They say it was due to mislabeled vape products sold at a nearby store.

Multiple students at Prestonsburg High School began experiencing overdose-like symptoms that required medical attention and transport to a local hospital, police said in a Thursday night Facebook post. There were five of those occurrences in one week alone.

Police say they learned in each case, electronic vapes and other products labeled as being compliant with state and federal law were being used by those students, however, “the medical emergencies and the fact that minors were in possession of these materials at an alarming rate indicated there was a problematic situation.”

Because of this, Prestonsburg police began “controlled buys” in area stores by using high school students after consent from their parents. One store police say they went to was Quick Stop Smoke Shop Discount Tobacco and Vaping, which is about 1,000 feet from the high school. They say they found the store had repeatedly sold to minors and when samples were taken during these controlled buys and tested, they found some “rogue” products that contained more than 90 percent active impairing ingredients which resulted in the overdoses.

“The tobacco store was selling products of questionable origin to high school and junior high students that couldn’t possibly know what they were purchasing because the products were completely mislabeled, in violation of Federal Law, and when those products were used they caused substantial medical emergencies,” police wrote on Facebook.

Police then executed a search at that store and seized “a large quantity” of mislabeled, misbranded and “questionable” products.

They say if you suspect any illegal or dangerous activity in the community, call police at 606-886-1010.