Copyright Live 5 News WCSC
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - A Mount Pleasant high school is now one of many fighting back against the student vaping epidemic with high-tech bathroom detectors. Wando High School has installed vaping detectors with radar systems in bathrooms that can detect one puff rising to the ceiling and track how long students spend in the facilities. The devices look like smoke detectors. If they detect vaping or students in bathrooms for at least eight minutes, they automatically send email or text alerts to administrators. Charleston County School District received money to install the detectors from a lawsuit settlement with Juul that could go toward vape awareness or detection efforts. Students caught vaping face a three-day suspension. The school also provides local resources to help students understand negative health impacts and assigns an on-site social worker to meet with them. Detection leads to prevention Principal Chas Coker said supporting students in changing habits beyond punishment has led to success stories. “[At the] start of the year, had a couple more than we’re used to, but it’s gone down since then,” Coker said. “I think awareness is definitely out there. It has also helped us in our monitoring techniques as well because we know where the hotspots are, what times there are, so we can have people there walk through the bathrooms at those times.” Berkeley and Dorchester County school districts were also part of the class action lawsuit against Juul and are expected to receive settlement money. Wando High School implemented the vape detectors at the beginning of the school year. The district plans to add them to all high schools shortly.
