After teachers and principals noticed that more students have begun using e-cigarettes during school hours, the Food and Drug Administration has encouraged retailers to stop selling to those underage.
E-cigarette company JUUL has already taken matters into its own hands and has raised the legal purchasing age to 21.
Although some companies have raised the purchasing age, schools in New York have taken things a step further and decided to install sensors that can detect the vape smoke.
Plainedge High School in Long Island, New York is one of the schools that has already put in the sensors to help prevent students from smoking.
During an interview for the "Start Here" podcast, Edward Salina, Plainedge Public Schools superintendent, told ABC News' Brad Mielke that Plainedge High School is involved in a program called Fly Sense, a sensor system that notifies faculty members if students are smoking. One of the major benefits of Fly Sense is that it can be placed where cameras aren't allowed, such as bathrooms and locker rooms.
Salina said that the reason the school district decided to get Fly Sense is that they wanted technology that could be placed in areas where the schools can't have cameras.
JUUL Tries To Prevent Minors From Using E-Cigarettes
Plainedge High School's decision to install Fly Sense in its school came after news broke that JUUL decided to raise the minimum purchasing age for e-cigarettes to 21. On Wednesday, April 25, JUUL released a statement that defended claims committed to preventing minors as well as those who don't usually smoke with the pipes.
Several teachers blamed the company for the popularity of the vaporizing pens. They believed that JUUL was specifically targeting the students with its e-cigarettes' designs and flavors.
"We want to be a leader in seeking solutions, and are actively engaged with, and listening to, community leaders, educators and lawmakers on how best to effectively keep young people away from JUUL," the company said in its statement.
JUUL further stated that its products were created to offer an alternative to adults that wanted to quit smoking.
Although it has not been confirmed if e-cigarettes are harmful, they are still not encouraged for minors as well as for adults who don't usually smoke.
