New York school installs ‘vape detectors’ in middle school bathrooms to sniff out THC and nicotine

At Lindenhurst Middle School, each student bathroom has two vape detectors, a development that was suggested by a student who was concerned about her friends becoming addicted to vaping, according to CBS. A spokesperson from the school did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

The devices, called FlySense, were developed by Soter Technologies “to detect vape and changes in air quality,” according to the company’s website.

When smoke is detected, the school principal gets an automatic email, and students caught vaping are connected to professional help, CBS reported.

It comes amid additional crackdowns on school behavior. Last week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a bill that would ban smartphones in public schools. Though Hochul doesn’t plan to formally file the bill until the next legislative session begins in 2025, the reception among New York students has been tepid at best.

“If there was, like, an emergency at school you wouldn’t be able to contact your parents right away,” Alaiya Martinez, a New York high school student, told WWNY.

Vape companies like Juul went from being incredibly popular among young people to being slammed by lawsuits accusing the company of marketing its addictive product to children. Juul ultimately paid a $462 million settlement. Vaping remains popular among young people, however, and other nicotine products — like Zyn pouches — have proven trendy as well.