Mesa expands its war on vaping with detectors in all middle and high schools

Mesa, Arizona: In an effort to curb the rising use of e-cigarettes among students, Mesa Public Schools has expanded its use of vape detectors across all middle and high schools within the district.

The initiative follows a successful pilot program launched last spring at Red Mountain High School, where detectors were installed in two bathrooms. Thanks to the sensors, school officials reported an average of 15 alerts per day and nabbed six to eight students daily for vaping, many of whom were using cartridges containing THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis.

Allen Moore, the district’s Director of School Safety and Security, highlighted the importance of the program’s preventative approach. “The goal is to catch this behavior early and discourage it from becoming a larger issue on our campuses,” Moore told Arizona's Family.

The positive feedback from the pilot has encouraged the district to install vape detectors in the bathrooms of every middle and high school in the area. These sensors, which pick up on the chemicals released when a vape is used, alert school staff, who can then track down the responsible individuals within seconds.

According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey, over 2 million students used e-cigarettes last year. In response, Mesa Public Schools is considering extending the program to elementary schools, as discussions have already begun about the necessity of such measures. Moore underscored the importance of early intervention, noting that some students as young as 10 to 12 years old have already been caught vaping.

Students caught vaping face a mandatory five-day educational program, and if THC is involved, potential suspension and legal action.