Montgomery County Council members have unanimously approved of a proposal to use $2 million in supplemental funding for vape detectors in the county’s public schools.
The funds come from a settlement reached between the county and e-cigarette maker Juul in 2020, where the company was accused of promoting harmful and addictive products to teens. The funds were allocated to MCPS as part of the suit.
This comes after an intensified approach against the usage of vapes and drugs by students on school grounds. Last year, the county piloted vape detectors at several high schools in the county, but did not release data on its findings.
According to CDC reports from the past two years, 14% of high school students surveyed in Maryland admitted to vaping. While this number is declining, the state has the highest number in the region, with D.C. at 10% and Virginia at 8%.
However, not all approved of the proposed usage of these funds.
During the hearing, Scott Webber, founder of the Vaping Awareness Public Education Society, voiced concerns over the usage of the funds.
“I’m asking that the council not do anything at the moment for today, but look at alternatives,” said Webber.
During his testimony, he highlighted several alleged issues with the usage of vape detectors, including how easy it is to conceal the smoke. Webber also criticized the inefficiency of relying on administrators to track down offenders after the alarm trips. This concern was also raised after the county’s pilot program ended. The program revealed challenges of false alarms and the need for increased staffing to maximize the effect of the detectors.
“I’m here in stark opposition to this funding bill because it represents essentially a fiscal folly,” said Webber.
