The Washoe County School District already has policies against vaping, but every couple of years, some changes need to be made as technology and popularity grow.
The school district is learning that it is a lot easier for kids to get ahold of vapes than it should be.
Chief Student Services Officer, Doctor Paul LaMarca, says they recently caught a group of students distributing THC vapes, and found out they simply got them online.
"They were able to get that through the internet, through a website, and simply by telling the website provider that they were 18 years old, there's no verification of age," LaMarca says.
Dr. LaMarca says the consequences for vaping depends on the situation. It can range from parent-teacher conferences, suspension, outside resources to help students quit, and other methods.
According to a 2023 Nevada Youth Risk Survey conducted by the University of Nevada, Reno, 301 high school students and 314 middle school students in Washoe County say they have used electronic vapor products.
That's a decrease in high schools when compared to the 2021 survey which showed 421 students admitting to using vapor products. But there's a slight increase in middle schools with the 2021 survey showing 292 students.
Several schools are putting in efforts to prevent students from vaping in schools.
You may remember our reporting when Eagle Valley Middle School, in the Carson City School District, installed new bathrooms with fully enclosed stalls and open sinks. It's designed to enhance privacy for students but also allows for easier supervision from staff, preventing vaping, damage, and graffiti.
Many schools in Washoe County School District have the same design such as O'Brien Middle and Hug High School.
The school district encourages parents to know the signs and check if your child may have vapes or e-cigarettes because this isn't just the school district's responsibility, it's the community's.
