Notes: Alexandria City High School adds vape detection systems to school bathrooms

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🚨 You need to know

Students using the bathrooms at Alexandria City High School (ACHS) for some mid-day vaping will have to find a new location: Patch reported that Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) has installed new detection systems in the school bathrooms.

ACPS said in a release last Friday that the new detection systems are fully operational at ACHS King Street, Minnie Howard, Chance for Change and Satellite campuses and that administrative staff have been trained on system operations. ACPS also changed its policy on marijuana last month to align with Virginia law.

According to the release:

The vape detection systems work as follows:

• Vape detection systems are able to confirm smoke from vaping, cigarettes and/or marijuana.
• When smoke is detected, an alert is sent to administration with the specific restroom location in which smoking is occurring.
• Administration and/or school security officers will respond to the alert.

It is important to reiterate that smoking is prohibited on all ACPS campuses and that vape cartridges are considered to be contraband, per ACPS policy. Any student discovered to be smoking or vaping on school grounds will be subject to appropriate consequences per the Student Code of Conduct. This measure was implemented to promote positive indoor air quality and to eliminate smoking within the facility. Smoking within a facility not only negatively impacts indoor air quality, it is also a fire hazard and a health concern. Vaping poses a serious health risk to students whose bodies and brains are still developing; students may not be aware of what is in the vape they are smoking or the danger they could place others in when sharing vapes.

These measures are part of our continuous efforts to ensure the safety, well being and security of our students and staff.

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