Childhood vaping has reached such high levels in schools across America that vapor detectors are now being installed in bathrooms. Approximately 2.6 million high school students are vaping, and they have become adept at discreetly sneaking devices into class, causing distractions and exposing nearby children to second-hand effects. In response, schools like Lewiston in Maine, one of the largest districts in the state with over 5,100 students, are planning to install detectors in restrooms. This approach has already proved successful in other districts, such as those in New Jersey, Texas, and Illinois. The detectors can detect vapor in bathrooms and alert school administrators with a time stamp when a student leaves the bathroom, allowing for timely intervention.
The number of US children using e-cigarettes has risen to over 2.5 million, representing a half-million increase from the previous year. This reversal comes after a downward trend in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 2.55 million middle and high school students have admitted to using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. This jump of 500,000 users, or 24 percent, from 2021 marks the first increase since the CDC began collecting annual data in 2019.
The implementation of vape detectors in schools is still pending in Lewiston, as the cost of buying and installing them is estimated to exceed $100,000, a sum that is not currently within the district’s budget. They will likely need to rely on grants to fund this investment. Approximately 2.5 million middle and high school students were already hooked on e-cigarettes as of late 2022, representing a 24 percent increase from 2021. This marks the first increase seen since 2019.
The majority of children, roughly 85 percent, prefer flavored e-cigarettes. Concerns have been raised about the intentional marketing of these products towards children, leading federal regulators to crack down on the flavored varieties. Despite these efforts, lenient enforcement at retail shops has allowed teens to easily access flavored vapes, which often contain highly addictive nicotine.
Installing vape detectors serves multiple purposes for school administrators. Besides addressing the issue of students vaping in bathrooms, the detectors can also help to alleviate overcrowding and long waiting times for bathroom use. By integrating the detectors into existing security systems, administrators can trigger an alarm and use video recordings to identify students who were present in the bathroom during vaping incidents.
Vaping among students has become a significant problem, with James Stemple, Executive Director of Constituent Services at Stafford County Public Schools in Texas, describing it as one of the biggest issues he has encountered in his over two decades in education. Stemple stated, “It’s an addictive problem. Kids need to leave class to hit their vape, or we’ve had kids trying to vape in class.” The FDA’s crackdown on flavored tobacco products aims to reduce the rates of teen smoking in the US.
Multiple school districts across the country have already installed vape detectors in their facilities. In New Jersey, 10 districts have implemented detectors that can also detect vapor produced from devices containing THC. Schools systems in the Chicago suburbs, such as Hinsdale South High School and Evanston Township High School, have also adopted these devices.
Revere Local School District in Ohio has installed 16 vape detectors at Revere High School and Revere Middle School since 2019. Though the devices have helped deter bathroom vaping, they are not fool-proof. Assistant Principal Doug Faris explains that the detectors can go off multiple times a day due to changes in air quality, such as the use of body spray. Despite the challenges, the devices have proven beneficial in identifying and intervening in vaping incidents.
According to a CDC survey conducted in 2022, an estimated 14 percent of high schoolers and 3 percent of middle schoolers regularly use e-cigarettes. The report also highlights that 85 percent of regular users prefer flavored e-cigarette flavors. Among users, 28 percent reported daily use, while over 40 percent used e-cigarettes on at least 20 or more of the last 30 days.
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