South Australian schools fund their own vape detectors as problem grows
The alarm systems that alert teachers to vapour and smoke have already been deployed at several schools.
SA News
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Vape detector systems have been installed in some SA schools with the state government giving the green light for their installation.
Four schools have installed vape detector systems from HALO Smart Sensors, which detect vapour and cigarette smoke, since 2021.
The devices act as silent alarms and send notifications via email or text to school staff monitoring the system.
The installations cost between $15,000 and $25,000 and have been funded from individual school budgets, with one installing in them 2021, and the other three in the first half of 2022.
Education minister Blair Boyer said the government supported the school’s decisions to install the devices.
The government was also spending more than $2m to slow the rate of school vaping, he said.
“We know vaping is becoming an increasing issue among young people and enabling schools to install vaping detectors can be part of the response – but the best approach is prevention by teaching students about vaping’s health impacts so they understand just how dangerous and addictive it really is,” he said.
“That’s why the Malinauskas Labor Government has invested $2.25 million to deliver preventive education programs, as part of our Vaping Action Plan now being implemented.
“We are taking strong action to tackle this issue based on what students have told us – making sure they can make informed decisions and can get help when they need it.”
A survey of 1000 young people conducted by the Commissioner for Children and Young People revealed two out of three respondents said they had tried vaping.
The report also said young people believed there was a lot of misinformation around vaping and that restricting vaping supplies and implementing support programs would help their peers.
Mr Boyer said the government would also partner with Drug and Alcohol Services Australia, Quitline, the Cancer Council and the Commissioner for Children and Young People to develop new training for school staff.
Schools would also implement wellbeing support and work with families when students were caught vaping to help them in breaking the addiction.
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