Anthony ISD using technology to crack down on vaping

EL PASO, TEXAS (KTSM) — Anthony Independent School District (AISD) is taking a high-tech approach to stopping teens from vaping on school grounds.

Starting in 2022, the district installed vape sensors in several areas inside Anthony High and Middle School.

The devices were installed after growing health concerns about teens vaping around the country.

Adriana Candelaria, a communications coordinator for Anthony ISD, said the sensors work by detecting vape emissions in the air, regardless of how big or small the space is. 

“Once it detects that vape emission, the sensors send a notification to our safety personnel and our school principal, and then that school administrator is able to go to that location where the vape said it picked up the emissions,” Candelaria said. 

Candelaria said prior to the installation of the sensors, they would have to rely on the “suspicion” or “tips” of students allegedly vaping on school grounds. 

Studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic show that smoking an e-cigarette, otherwise known as vaping, has been linked to health conditions, like breathing problems, organ damage, addiction, and other health issues.

Vaping and smoking cigarettes are known for being addictive and are composed of harmful chemical substances, the Mayo Clinic said.

There are many types of e-cigarettes that have come out over the years; one of them involves a cartridge that contains THC, or cannabis. 

Katrina Ayala, an attorney with the El Paso County Attorney’s Office who specializes in juvenile cases, says she has seen instances of teens vaping at the age of 10 years old.

The legal age to purchase a vaping product in Texas is 21, in line with federal regulations. A teenager caught with a THC vape is considered a state felony, Ayala said. If a school student is caught carrying one on school property it can lead to greater consequences, she said.

Ayala said: “Once we see that it is in a school, that actually increases the offense to a third-degree felony.” The more grams an individual is caught with, the higher the felony will be, Ayala said.

She urges parents to be wary of their kid’s social media accounts and specific code language teens may be using. “Social media is probably the biggest tactic they use to sell all over the schools in El Paso County,” Ayala said. “Certain emojis can have hidden messages. The shopping cart emoji stands for a cart. That is what they call the THC pen cartridge.”

Soter Technologies, a provider of sensor technologies and software solutions, will award Anthony ISD the Soteria National Leadership Award for their efforts to reduce vaping among young people on Thursday, April 18.