Palm Beach County, FL - In response to a significant rise in student vaping incidents, three Palm Beach County schools have implemented vape detectors in their bathrooms as part of a pilot program.
The Palm Beach County School District has reported 661 vaping incidents this year alone.
To address this, vape detectors have been discreetly installed in the bathrooms of three undisclosed schools.
These devices are designed to detect the presence of e-cigarette vapor, THC, and tobacco smoke, alerting school administrators in real-time to any violations.
According to the district's code of conduct, elementary students may receive up to a three-day suspension, while middle and high school students could face up to a five-day suspension for a first offense.
This initiative reflects a broader national effort to combat youth vaping, as data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that approximately 1.63 million middle and high school students nationwide are current users of e-cigarettes.
The success of this pilot program will determine the potential expansion of vape detectors to additional schools within the district, reinforcing the commitment to providing a safe and healthy learning environment for all students.
According to the CDC, in 2024, approximately 1.63 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current e-cigarette use, with 1.21 million high school students (7.8%) and 410,000 middle school students (3.5%) engaging in vaping.
This marks a decline from 2022, when 2.55 million students reported vaping.
Despite the decrease, e-cigarette use remains a significant public health concern among youth.