Board hears vaping update: district seeks pilot for detectors, cites legal and enforcement limits

Washington County Public Schools presented an update on vaping in its middle and high schools, describing a spectrum of devices found, enforcement challenges and next steps including a planned pilot to test restroom vaping detectors funded by settlement dollars.

"Vaping incidents occur in our middle schools and our high schools," a district secondary-program presenter told the board, noting device types reported by principals included nicotine, THC, CBD, melatonin and caffeine vapes. The district said students are hiding devices in restroom stalls and toilet-paper dispensers and are using smaller, less visible devices that resemble ordinary items such as pens, highlighters and USB drives.

Principals and administrators said that absent clear labeling or a cartridge, schools often cannot determine whether a device contains nicotine or an illicit drug. That limitation affects discipline: the district said its discipline matrix (Policy JK exhibit) differentiates between tobacco-related incidents (lower levels) and drug-related incidents (higher levels), and schools typically must have evidence to impose drug-level consequences.

District staff told the board SRO involvement "is not allowed under Maryland law" for vape possession by minors; the district must rely primarily on school disciplinary processes unless an incident escalates into a lawful-police matter. Officials said schools do not have on-site chemical test kits to determine vape contents and that testing substances is a law-enforcement function.

School principals described layered responses: restroom sweeps by SSEs and staff at class changes, use of electronic hall-pass systems to limit bathroom access for frequent users, custodial checks of dispensers, student tip lines (Google forms) and referrals to the student assistance program. Springfield Middle School reported a near-halving of certain physical-referral categories after SSE deployment.

The district said three schools have expressed interest in piloting restroom vape detectors and added that JUUL-settlement funds are available to support such a pilot. The district cautioned that detector technology must be paired with camera coverage and operational protocols, and past trials elsewhere showed a time lag between detector notification and administrator arrival at the restroom. Purchasing and procurement considerations were flagged as part of pilot planning.

Board members asked about legislation; district staff said changes to state law would likely be a multi-session effort and recommended considering the 2026 legislative session for any proposed changes. Officials also described a state grant—the Adequate Coverage grant, roughly $320,000 per year—that helps cover evening staffing costs for SROs and SSEs.

The board asked staff to vet vendors, contact other districts with installed systems, and prepare a pilot plan and cost estimate for board consideration during the budget process.