A high school in the heartland is going high tech in its efforts to stop vaping at school

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Saxony Lutheran is the first in the area to add vaping sensors to their bathrooms and locker rooms.

The Principal, Marl Ruark said, last year they caught at least five students vaping. This year they’ve seen none.

He decided to put a stop to vaping at his school.

"Over the last couple of years we noticed a huge increase in vaping on our campus," Ruark said.

Ruark purchased eight sensors back in august to put in the bathroom and locker rooms.

"We researched some things and found out that there were actually vape sensors," he said.

He said they are harder to detect without the sensors.

“It’s difficult to catch because number one you don’t get the smoke or the odor you normally get”

Ruark said students can’t hide from technology.

“With the vaping sensors you get three alerts on alert is obviously a vape, and it also sends an aggression alert. If someone is tampering with the sensors it sends an aggression alert,” Ruark said.

I talked with some students who are on board with the sensors and are against kids vaping.

Students Maddox Murphy and SAM Varnon said vaping is a result of peer pressure.

“A lot of my friends have started vaping and have fallen in the peer pressure of what everybody is doing but you start it’s definitely hard to stop,” Murphy said.

One parent said that’s why talking with your kids is important.

“We’ve had very serious talks about some of the effects that we’re hearing just so they know and fully informed as to what can occur”

Ruark said they haven't had any cases of vaping this school year since adding the devices, and he will continue the fight against it.

“Well what I’d like to do is to be able to educate our students and get them to stop using,” he said.

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