Oregon schools install new technology to detect vaping

(OCTOBER 28, 2022) High schools do not want students smoking in the building. They also do not want students to vape, which means to use an electronic cigarette. Now some schools in Oregon use special technology to stop students from vaping in the school bathrooms.

Schools in Gresham and La Grande use a product called HALO. It looks like a smoke detector. However, its sensors detect both tobacco smoke from regular cigarettes and vapor from electronic cigarettes. The sensors can also detect other airborne chemicals as well as loud noises, such as gunshots and yelling.

“We’re hoping to now have some form of surveillance, some form of monitoring (that) doesn’t impede the privacy of our students,” says Joseph Waite. He is the schools' facilities manager in La Grande.

That's because the sensors have not cameras, and they do not record anything. If there is a loud noise, the sensor alerts the office. It can even recognize the word "emergency".

Vaping is a significant problem in schools around the country. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently said that 10% of middle and high school students reported vaping in the past month. More than 25% of those students said they vaped every day. However, that's lower than in 2019, so there are fewer students vaping overall.

“Our goal is to help the vaping thing go away,” says Rick Cadiz. He works for the company that makes the sensors. “It’s been so disruptive to schools and also just the health concerns for kids. So if we can help solve that, that’s great. But our ultimate goal is to get it into every classroom.”