The Anaheim Union High School District Board of Trustees unanimously voted on Mar. 6 to install vape detectors in bathrooms and locker rooms at Cypress High School and Loara High School. The campuses are piloting the program to test whether the detectors are effective in mitigating district-wide vaping issues.
The annual National Youth Tobacco Surveys revealed that in 2024, 1.63 million youth nationwide reported active e-cigarette use. The National Health Institute found that in 2019, about 63.9% of students — around 16.8 million — reported noticing youth use of e-cigarettes in or around campus, with the bathroom or locker room being the most common location.
While AUHSD has been addressing the widespread use of e-cigarettes on campus for years, the methods fell short in consistency.
“We know many years ago, when we used to have dogs — that was a proactive measure [against vaping] — but they were only there once a month, once in a while; [the detectors] are every day,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jaron Fried at the board meeting’s Open Session.
After testing and working with various manufacturers, AUHSD selected HALO sensors, which can distinguish between fumes from vaping, vaping with THC, and masking vaping via aerosol use. According to Fried, HALO is directly integrated with the district’s current security camera system, connecting the sensors to apps on school administrators’ cell phones and campus safety aid phones.
“It’s not just something to reduce vaping in terms of catching, but ideally it’s more proactive in preventing folks from [vaping],” he said.
Executive Director of Educational Services Robert Saldivar added that the sensors, which detect noise alongside fumes, can also be used to address other unsafe activity in campus facilities, including fights.
“[The detector] also detects abnormal noise, so more than the normal levels of noise: possible fights in the restroom,” Saldivar said. “Because it integrates into our camera systems, all bathrooms have a camera right outside of the restroom, then it can capture who’s coming out during that time, and then those students can be identified.”
The equipment, software, installation, and tax costs of the program’s first year will accumulate to a total cost of $75,120 across both campuses. With Cypress High School on the West edge of the district’s boundaries and Loara High School at the East end, AUHSD will observe the sensors’ efficacy at these sites and determine plans for potential expansion.
“With what we learn from this experience, we’ll determine with the Board if we want to begin to expand,” Fried said.
For the time being, Oxford does not plan to request the installation of vape detectors on campus facilities.
“[Vaping] is definitely not a main concern,” said Principal Houston. “It’s happened very limited since I’ve been here, at least. It’s not something that outshines in our data by any stretch or stands out.”
