Vape detector schools detectors are trying to get students to stop smoking and using vapors that contain nicotine, marijuana or THC. The devices resemble smoke detectors and can be placed in bathrooms and other indoor spaces, where students often vape. They can be tied to school cameras and have advanced features that differentiate between the chemicals in vapor from those of smoke.
Vapor is secondhand aerosol that contains high concentrations of ultrafine particles of carcinogenic toxins, heavy metals and volatile organic compounds such as nicotine, THC, cannabis and other psychoactive substances. It is easier for these particles to enter the respiratory system than cigarette smoke and can cause lung tissue damage, asthma and other health issues. It is also more difficult to eliminate vapor from the air than secondhand smoke, so if the smell persists for a long period of time it can be hard to find and remove.
Enhancing Home Safety: The Rise of Vape Detectors for Residential Use
In the case of Ballston Spa High School, vape detectors look like smoke sensors and send an alert to administrators when they detect odors that signal someone is using a vaping device. Administrators can then use video from cameras outside the bathroom to identify possible culprits.
Vaping jeopardizes student health and disrupts instruction, Stemple said. It’s a problem that can’t be solved by suspensions alone, but she hopes the detectors will be a deterrent to the habit. Other school districts that have implemented the devices have seen success. The CEO of one company that makes them says that after several months of use, they typically see a reduction in vaping.
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