Mesa mulls installing vape detectors in all public middle and high school bathrooms to address teen nicotine addiction
MESA, ARIZONA: Mesa Public Schools, Arizona's largest school district, is considering installing vape detectors in all middle and high school restrooms as part of a wider plan to tackle teenage nicotine addiction.
These detectors, similar in appearance to smoke alarms, are engineered to identify the particles and compounds released by vapes. Upon detection of vaping activity, the device sends an alert to the school staff via email or text, as per AZ Central.
Vaping remains a significant issue
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a decline in the number of students using tobacco products over the past year, with the figure dropping from 14.1% to 10%.
However, this still represents approximately 2.8 million children. E-cigarette products, such as vapes, were the most commonly used tobacco products among middle and high school students this year.
The Arizona Youth Survey's most recent data from 2022 reveals that 13.6% of eighth graders admitted to using a vape at least once in their lifetime.
Close to 21% of 10th graders and 27% of 12th graders reported using e-cigarettes. While these figures represent a decrease compared to previous years, schools maintain that it remains a significant concern, as reported by ABC 15.
What did the Mesa Public Schools' security director say?
Mesa Public Schools is contemplating the deployment of vape detectors in all its middle and high school restrooms. The district officials have already reported positive results with two such devices installed at Red Mountain High School in September.
The devices, which bear a strong resemblance to smoke detectors, are described by Allen Moore, the district’s security director, as being designed to detect the chemicals found in vapes rather than heat or smoke, as per KJZZ.
He stated, "It sends an alert through the camera system. It simultaneously pulls up the cameras in the hallways because obviously we don’t have cameras in the bathrooms."
This enables security staff to monitor the students exiting the restroom, thereby identifying those who may be vaping. Moore emphasized that they aim to ensure that school bathrooms remain a secure environment.
"The vast majority of the kids are good kids, and they're the ones giving us feedback that they don’t like going to the bathroom because everybody’s vaping in there," said Moore, adding, "So that’s kind of disheartening."
What is the probable cost of the vape detectors?
Allen Moore further revealed that they have been receiving approximately 15 alerts per day from the devices currently installed at Red Mountain High School.
However, broadening the deployment of these vape detectors could be a costly affair. The installation costs reportedly range from $2,000 to $3,000, and the devices themselves are priced between $1,600 and $1,700.