New detectors are sniffing out teen vape-users in these northern Alberta schools
CBC
It's no secret that nicotine-addicted teens cut out of class to vape, often in school washrooms.
But new technology has emerged to help school administrators catch them in the act: vape detectors.
The Holy Family Catholic Regional Division in Peace River, Alta., is adopting vape detectors this fall for its eight school buildings.
Superintendent Betty Turpin said the idea came from students during a meeting with the board of trustees.
"It was unanimous that the students were reporting that vaping was going on in the washrooms and it was making them uncomfortable to go into the washrooms," Turpin said in an interview.
"When students say that, you can't just ignore it. You have to do something because all students should feel comfortable in the school."
The vape detectors cost $1,700 each. The division has spent a total of $80,000 to install 35 devices across eight schools. Turpin said they hope to mitigate the costs with grant money.
The devices detect particulates and loud noises, and send a message to the phones of administrators who can then investigate.
Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, acknowledged that schools need to try alternative measures to help students break away from smoking and vaping.
"I really feel for schools because schools have become the ground zero for the vaping epidemic," said Hagen.
"We're allowing tobacco companies and vaping companies to push these products to kids."
While some schools in the United States have struggled with students destroying detectors or administrators not being able to intervene on time, Turpin said that isn't a major concern.
The devices are installed in cages on ceilings. Turpin said at least one administrator will always be free to check alerts — and hallway security cameras may also be used.
She hopes the detectors will help improve the student experience and curb vaping at school.
This First Person column is written by Melinda Maldonado, who lives in Toronto. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
For a couple of months last spring, Hamilton's Cootes Paradise Marsh offered a glimpse of what's possible.
A man walking his dog on a Lower Mainland trail was injured earlier this week in a black bear attack, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service says.
Author Suzanne Craig-Whytock has written post-apocalyptic fantasies and dark thrillers to humour for teens and adults and has a number of titles to her name including The Dome, Smile and Feasting Upon the Bones.
They wish they didn't need it, but it's now a necessity.
An ongoing debate in the House of Commons could push some government departments into a cash crunch and run up against other deadlines as the end of the fall sitting approaches.
Celebrity chef Vikram Vij is partnering with a Toronto charity to help raise funds for cash-strapped food banks.
The federal government did not meet the targets for its program to plant two billion trees during the program's third planting season.
Governments in Canada, the U.S. and abroad along with tech giants are all eyeing nuclear power to meet a growing demand for electricity and climate goals at the same time.
Allison McCabe's own story of medical dismissal began last August with a trip to an emergency room in Vancouver.
The leader of Canada's Green Party had some strong words for Nova Scotia's Progressive Conservatives while joining her provincial counterpart on the campaign trail. Elizabeth May was in Halifax Saturday to support the Nova Scotia Green Party in the final days of the provincial election campaign. She criticized PC Leader Tim Houston for calling a snap election this fall after the Tories passed legislation in 2021 that gave Nova Scotia fixed election dates every four years.