Marietta City Schools purchasing vape detection devices

Marietta City Schools to install vape detectors

The Marietta City School district said it knows vaping happens on its grounds, despite it being illegal, so it's installing these detectors to help catch students smoking. The new devices should be installed before school starts on August 1.

MARIETTA, Ga. - The Marietta City Schools District will begin to use vaping detection devices when kids go back to school this fall. 

The plan to stop vaping in schools

What we know:

Over the last few years, vaping has become more prevalent. Marietta City Schools officials said they needed to do something for the health and safety of the students. The Board of Education voted to install vape detectors at Tuesday night's meeting. 

Halo Vape Detection Devices will be installed in the restrooms in the middle and high schools in the coming weeks. 

The devices look similar to smoke detectors but detect the chemicals that are present in vape products. If it goes off, it sends a silent notification to administrators so they can investigate what is going on.

The cost to install the devices is a little more than $40,000. The money will come from a State Board of Education grant and funds the district received from a class action settlement with e-cigarette maker Juul Labs. The lawsuit alleged Juul marketed its products to minors.

Why is the district adding vape detectors?

What they're saying:

"Although it isn't legal for high school kids to vape and definitely not healthy, it has become more of a concern," said Mike Santoro, Chief Operating Officer of Marietta City Schools. 

Parents react to vape detectors

What they're saying:

"I think it's a really good idea. I know when my children come home from school they say someone was vaping in the bathroom," said Christina Rogers, who is a parent of 2 children in the school district. 

Rogers says she's pleased school leaders are taking action. 

"They're highly addictive. They're horrible for their health. When the vape companies aren't doing anything to make it less palpable to kids, we've got to do something," said Rogers.