American Lung Association Urges Schools to Use Proven Resources to Address Vaping Instead of Vape Detectors and Punishment

This fall, schools around the country are struggling with how to address student tobacco and nicotine use, and some have suggested that vape detectors are needed to address vaping in schools. In response to the high rates of youth vaping, the American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer issued this statement:

“Youth vaping continues to be a serious public health concern, with more than 2.1 million middle and high school students currently using e-cigarettes. Schools across the country are on the front line of this health crisis and many are looking for ways to address student vaping. Fortunately, they are not alone, and there are proven resources available to help prevent youth vaping and to help students who vape to quit for good. 

“Children who vape need proven interventions to stop, not new punitive approaches that do not help them quit. The American Lung Association does not support vaping detector placement in school restrooms as a strategy to reduce vaping. Vape detectors often lead to a punitive response to vaping, rather than an approach that recognizes vaping as an addiction that requires a thorough approach. Students need additional education about the health risks and to be provided with resources to help them quit for good. Teens should not be punished for being addicted to a product that was aggressively marketed to them on social media, through celebrities and with kid-friendly flavors.

“Schools, educators and administrators were vital partners in successful efforts to significantly reduce cigarette smoking in teens over the past decade. To end youth tobacco and nicotine use, it is necessary for the entire community to be involved, including lawmakers, parents, teachers, coaches, school administrators, community-based organizations and healthcare providers. The Lung Association has evidence-based and proven-effective programs and strategies for each of these key players ultimately shaping our future generations. Together we can create a tobacco-free future for all.”

“Instead of vape detectors, the Lung Association encourages schools and their communities to invest in strategies that are proven-effective to reduce tobacco and nicotine use in teens. The American Lung Association’s Comprehensive Approach to Ending the Youth Vaping Epidemic outlines this strategy, which includes: 

• A comprehensive tobacco-free campus policy such as those found in the Lung Association’s Vape-Free Schools Initiative.
• Vaping prevention education for grades 5-12 through the evidence-based program such as CATCH My Breath, the Stanford Medicine’s Tobacco Prevention & Vaping Toolkit or the FDA’s The Real Cost of E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign;
• Resources for parents to talk to their kids about the health impacts of vaping at TalkAboutVaping.org.
• Implementation of alternative to suspension programs, such as the Lung Association’s INDEPTH® or INDEPTH Online.;
• Voluntary youth cessation programs, such as the Lung Association’s Not On Tobacco® and NOT for Me; and 
• ACT to Address Youth Cessation, which provides schools, communities and health care providers guidance for how to intervene with youth who are using commercial tobacco and nicotine products.”

Learn more about resources available at Lung.org/ecigs.