Thai School Kids Help Burn $3.5 Million Worth of Marijuana to Learn About Drugs

September 27, 2016

Some Thai elementary school students got a taste of “high” school when one lesson had them burning marijuana.

The provincial government of Bueng Karn in Thailand invited several elementary kids to participate in the ceremonial burning of police-confiscated marijuana. The event was reportedly an effort to teach Thai school children about the effects of drugs.

The school children, who were from an elementary school in the rural province of Bueng Kan, were brought outside the classroom and into the capitol to assist the local police torch the seized illegal leaves.The contraband was confiscated from multiple cases in the past two years, reported Sanook (via Coconuts Bangkok).

Eight tons of seized marijuana worth 120 million Thailand Baht (around $3.5 million) were destroyed in front of the children who were there to learn about the harmful effects of the leaves. Unfortunately, the objective might have been a success.

Photos of children burning weed went viral in Thai social media and naturally, elicited reactions from the public. One of them was Kasetsart University organic chemistry professor Dr. Weerachai Putthawong, who expressed concern and explained to those who may not realize it yet that breathing in the smoke from burned marijuana is just like smoking pot.

Bueng Karn Governor Pongsak Preechawit defended the activity, saying that the children only participated at the start and were immediately removed from the vicinity after photos of them were taken.

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