Vaping among minors has emerged as a significant public health crisis, prompting school districts, student transporters, parents and public officials to take aggressive action.
This crisis, fueled by the marketing strategies of companies like e-cigarette companies like Juul Labs, has led to a wave of litigation, settlements and innovative prevention strategies. The rise in vaping has spurred interest in new technologies, such as vape detectors, with potential applications even on school buses.
Juul Labs settled a lawsuit led by San Franscisco Unified School District in December 2022, marking a pivotal moment in the battle against youth vaping. The reported $1.2 billion settlement resolved over 1,500 lawsuits filed by school districts, cities and counties nationwide. The legal fight emphasized the role Juul and its parent company Altria played in creating and perpetuating the youth vaping crisis.
Mike Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, testified during the trial about the severe consequences of vaping on school grounds and during transport, providing compelling evidence that contributed to the settlement. “The scope of this crisis is unprecedented,” Dorn told School Transportation News, referencing not only the rise in nicotine addiction among minors but also the emergence of vape devices used for substances like THC oil, crystal meth and fentanyl.
Dorn highlighted alarming incidents that underscore the dangers of vaping in unsupervised environments. For example, ambulances in Palm Beach County, Florida, were dispatched to treat 11 students who overdosed after sharing a vape device on a school bus. A similar case occurred in Glynn County, Georgia, where 12 students overdosed in an athletic transport van. Dorn said these cases demonstrate the rapidly evolving nature of the crisis and the urgent need for preventative measures.
“These devices were never just about nicotine,” explained Dorn, a member of STN’s editorial advisory board. “With aftermarket pods and illicit substances, we’ve seen students exposed to risks far beyond addiction, including overdoses and physical harm from malfunctioning devices.”
Vape Detectors: A New Frontier in Prevention
To address the crisis, school districts are exploring new technologies to curb vaping. Vape detectors are promising tools for creating vape-free environments. While these devices have been installed in school bathrooms and other indoor areas, their potential use on school buses represents a new frontier in prevention efforts.
Randall Jubb, president of school bus contractor Jubb’s Bus Services, said he sees on-board vape detection as a crucial step in curbing the issue before it escalates further.
“We are planning to implement a demonstration of selected units in our fleet, with detectors positioned under the seats, as vape is denser than air and tends to settle lower,” Jubb explained. “A puck-sized indicator will be installed in the driver’s area to provide an immediate alert. Additionally, an app will be installed on school administration devices to notify them of any alerts, including the specific bus number and the time the alert was triggered.”
Jubb emphasized that this system—when combined with video surveillance and school bus driver observation—will provide the best chance at accurately identifying offenders.
“We recognize the severe impact vaping can have on the health and well-being of our students, and we believe that any deterrent is crucial in safeguarding their future,” he added.
Guy Grace, a representative of Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) and a retired director of safety and emergency planning for Littleton Public Schools in Colorado, emphasized that vape sensors alone are insufficient to address the youth vaping epidemic. Based on insights from safety practitioners across the country, Grace outlined a multi-layered approach that integrates vape sensors with human roles, processes and additional technologies to maximize effectiveness
First, he said properly designed awareness programs are critical. Students and parents need to understand the addictive nature of e-cigarettes and the policies in place to address violations. Education campaigns that involve students and parents can significantly reduce vaping incidents.
The stealthy nature of vaping also necessitates vigilant student supervision, he continued. While vape sensors can alert staff to incidents, live supervision in restrooms, stairwells, and other hotspots is essential. Free training videos on supervision techniques are available through Safe Havens International to help staff improve their ability to detect and deter vaping.
Grace noted additional personnel, such as vape prevention coordinators and monitors for hot-spot areas, are often needed to support detection technologies and ensure consistent enforcement. These roles work alongside technology to address vaping more effectively.
Vape sensors can detect e-cigarette aerosols in areas where direct supervision is challenging, such as restrooms and locker rooms. He said these devices can also integrate with smart cameras and analytics software, enforce no-go zones and monitor high-traffic areas.
Robust electronic hall-pass systems help administrators track students’ movements and identify patterns of misuse, Grace offered. These systems can also prevent students with a history of vaping together from obtaining hall passes simultaneously.
School buses represent a critical and often overlooked area in the fight against youth vaping. Grace discussed the potential for integrating vape detectors, which can range in cost from hundreds of dollars to about $1,000 dollars, with modern bus surveillance systems, including 360-degree cameras and real-time monitoring capabilities. These tools can help capture activity both inside and outside the school bus while ensuring driver focus remains on the road.
“While no districts have officially implemented vape sensors on buses yet, the technology exists to make this feasible. Early adopters could set an important precedent for broader adoption,” Grace said, referencing ongoing pilot programs and partnerships with companies like Zeptive.
“Like IP cameras, vape sensors require relatively low power and can be connected via Ethernet to a bus’s power switch. While APIs for integrating vape sensors with bus cameras are still under development, standalone sensors can already enhance monitoring efforts,” he continued.
Grace noted that vape detection companies are exploring pilot programs to evaluate these systems in real-world conditions.
He also detailed how students attempt to evade detection, exhaling mist into bottles or vaping under desks. He emphasized the importance of proper device placement, sensor sensitivity adjustments and ongoing staff training to counteract these methods effectively.
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Progress and Challenges Ahead
The battle against youth vaping is far from over, but progress is being made. School districts like San Francisco Unified are leading the way with comprehensive prevention programs and forward-thinking solutions. By addressing the root causes of vaping and equipping students with the tools to make healthier choices, communities can take meaningful steps toward ending this crisis.
“This is about protecting our kids,” said Jenny Lam, president of the San Francisco Board of Education. “We’re committed to using every tool at our disposal to ensure they have a healthy, smoke-free future.”
Grace echoed this sentiment, noting that while challenges remain, the collective efforts of educators, parents, and policymakers offer a path forward.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher, but with determination and innovation, we can turn the tide,” he said.
Integrating these systems with existing school bus technology could provide a seamless solution for tracking incidents.
“The one thing I might add is that the system interfaces with the bus monitoring systems, reporting and time-stamping any alerts to make tracking easier,” Jubb noted.
While detection technology plays a vital role, the broader issue extends beyond school buses and into classrooms. Mike Anderson, CEO and founder of school vaping sensor manufacturer Space Coast Technology Solutions, highlighted how vaping has become a significant disruption to education itself.
“In our research, vaping is listed as the number one challenge facing educators,” Anderson said. “Students are distracted in class, and school resources are consumed with policing instead of educating.”
The same could be said for school bus drivers, who need to be concentrating on road traffic but increasingly have student misbehavior to contend with.
