Victorian Schools Are Installing Silent Smoke Alarms To Catch Kids Vaping

Schools in the Australian state of Victoria have decided to go down the tough road and are taking extreme measures to stop kids on their campus from vaping.

According to the Herald Sun, some schools are even installing silent vape detectors that trap students in toilet cubicles so teachers can search them for contraband.

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The Melbourne news outlet states that some students who are as young as 12 are caught smoking o school grounds and so in a bid to stop this trend, schools are installing the new technology in an attempt to curb the potentially dangerous habit.

Mentone's St Bede’s College has installed the new vape-detecting alarms.

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Deputy principal Mark Jones claims these new technology detectors were installed after the schools' information sessions failed. Even though the school has stressed to the pupils the importance of avoiding the harmful practice, it is not working. 

“Of course staff don’t want to be checking the toilets, but we try and do everything in our power to stop the kids from engaging in activities that are harmful to themselves,” he said, as per The Advertiser.

“It’s a difficult one because they’re [vapes] so easy to conceal.”

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One Year 12 student at the Mentone School told the Herald Sun the detectors were working so far.

The student also revealed that many students were worried about getting locked in the bathroom even if they were not doing anything wrong.

“I think the detectors are a good deterrent," he said. "It makes you really question whether you need to use the bathroom and risk getting caught.”

Marymede Catholic College, Sacred Heart College, St Columba's College are three Victorian schools believed to have already installed the detectors that can pick up vape smoke.

A student at Frankston High was recently suspended after they were caught vaping, according to The Advertiser.

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Apart from this, some schools are also locking bathrooms in between lunch breaks to ensure students are not vaping, while others are introducing a bathroom pass system.

Some schools are even locking bathrooms in between recess and lunch breaks, whereas others are introducing a bathroom pass system.

However, locking students in washroom is not really a great idea, Alcohol and Drug Foundation policy and advocacy knowledge manager Laura Bajurny has warned.

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“Feelings of belonging and connectedness at school, and having positive role models such as teachers and other school staff, are factors that can help protect young people from experiencing harm from alcohol and other drugs,” she told the Herald Sun.

“Adopting a punitive approach may cause more harm than good, especially to vulnerable young people.”

In fact, in one truly shocking incident, one Victorian 5-year-old was rushed to hospital after vaping at school and this led to concerned parents raising voices and requesting school authorities for much strict regulations to avoid these kinds of incidents.

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