MCPS installing vape detectors at all high schools

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. ( DC News Now ) – Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) officials say they’re looking to wipe out vaping in high schools.

MCPS said there will be some new equipment put in place.

“We’re focusing on moving forward with the vape detection sensors for restrooms at the high schools,” said Marcus Jones, the chief of security and compliance for MCPS. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done around that.”

Safety administrators are working to prevent vaping at all MCPS high schools. It’s an expanded effort that comes after a pilot program in the school district.

MCPS put vape detectors in five high schools during the 2023 school year and had a number of takeaways.

“We learned the response time and kind of the things that were irritants to people around them,” said MCPS’ chief of district operations Dana Edwards. “The part we will that we will take from that pilot are the best practices.”

Vaping numbers are counted under ‘Drugs or Controlled Substances’ incidents. That category had a total of 224 in Fiscal Year 2022, and 200 the following year.

The hope is the vape detectors will bring those numbers down more.

Some support the initiative, others question it.

“I don’t want us to give a false sense of safety to the community by saying that we have vaping detectors in all the bathrooms at the high schools,” said MCPS board member Grace Rivera-Oven.

MCPS student board member Praneel Suvarna says, “Typically, students will say the vape detectors can be triggered by things like perfume and things like that. So, I just want to make that’s acknowledged and being considered through the process.”

A $2 million settlement MCPS received from the e-cigarette company JUUL is funding the installation.

There’s no word on how long it will take to get them all in place.

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