Two Elementary School Students Sent to Hospital in Tokyo for Overdose

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:37 JST, December 15, 2023

Two children at an elementary school in Meguro Ward, Tokyo, were rushed to the hospital with complaints of feeling ill after overdosing on medication they brought to school on Wednesday, it has been learned.

According to a senior official of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, both children were conscious at the time of transport and their condition was not life-threatening. The police is investigating how and why they brought the drugs to school.

On Thursday, an unconscious young woman was taken to a hospital in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, after apparently overdosing on over-the-counter cough medicine.

Over-the-counter drugs can cause unconsciousness or organ failure if taken in large quantities or not following the dosage and administration instructions. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is considering tightening regulations on the sale of over-the-counter drugs to prevent abuse by young people.