Near North District School Board to expand vape detector installation after successful pilot

The Near North District School Board is moving forward with the installation of vape detectors across all its secondary schools.

A pilot program was conducted last year at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School in South River, near North Bay, where the detectors were tested and data was monitored.

The results led to fewer students being suspended for vaping at school.

"We were able to see a decrease in vaping on campus, as well as a decrease in that student congregation and the vandalism," Emily Samuel, the principal of safe schools, early years and leadership development with the school board said. 

Samuel emphasized that implementing vape detectors in schools aims to address the issue of youth vaping comprehensively, while ensuring students' safety in washrooms. 

By installing these vape detectors, you're not just addressing the issue of vaping, you're actually addressing a number of things all at once.- Emily Samuel, Principle of Near North District School Board 

To enhance safety in schools, the Ontario government's recent budget set aside $30-million for security measures, which includes the installation of vape detectors.

"What you really need is a multifaceted approach that's going to embed education with our ability to determine when students are vaping, so that we can intervene."

The issue of youth vaping gained national attention in 2019, particularly in school washrooms. 

However, COVID-19 restrictions resulted in a decrease in such incidents as students switched to remote learning.

A resurgence occurred in March 2022 as COVID-19 guidelines lifted, leading to students congregating in washrooms, resulting in misconduct and vandalism.

Consequently, other students began felt unsafe entering the washrooms.

"By installing these vape detectors, you're not just addressing the issue of vaping, you're actually addressing a number of things all at once," said Samuel. "They're really neat technologies."

Not a 'gotcha' situation

The detectors, produced by a company in the U.S. called Zeptive, are compact, wall-mounted devices placed in areas like washrooms, locker rooms and hallways. 

They are connected to an app on the principal's phone. 

"That allows us to go to that location and have a conversation with that student," said Samuel.

"This isn't a 'gotcha' situation," she emphasize, clarifying that students are informed when vape detectors are being installed. 

"In fact, I go in and do assemblies to whole student body and talk about why we're installing vape detectors. 

Samuel says many students are unaware of the amount they consume compared to traditional cigarettes. 

"By sharing that education with them, it really helps them to begin to consider whether this is an activity they want to continue or not."

She adds the purpose of the detectors is to create safer washroom space for everybody."

"Students were coming up to me and saying thank you because they didn't feel comfortable going into the washroom when you have large numbers of students congregating and vaping in there."

Concerns around privacy

Privacy concerns have been raised regarding the use of vape detectors in schools. 

Darla Day, Director of Schools for the Fredericton Education Centre in New Brunswick, where such detectors are already in use, acknowledged that parents have expressed worries, especially regarding video surveillance.

"But there were also some parents that were welcoming this because their children were having a hard time going to the washroom," she said. 

She said that vaping caused large kids to congregate in one area, making other students uncomfortable.

"So it's sort of a system that people have had to get used to overtime."

Morning North8:41The province is looking to install some vaping detectors in school bathrooms across Ontario

Vaping has become such a problem in Ontario schools that the government is looking to spend millions on devices to detect when students are lighting up... these vaping detectors have already been tried out in northern Ontario. We heard more from a principal with the Near North District Board. We also heard from the director of schools for the Fredericton Education Centre where vaping detectors are already being used.