(Wired) – Schools in the US are installing vape-detection tech in bathrooms to thwart student nicotine and cannabis use. A new investigation reveals the impact of using spying to solve a problem.

Public records obtained by The 74 from a vape-detector pilot program at Minneapolis Public Schools presents a unique window into the severity of the problem and of educators’ efforts to contain it. The main battlefield in the fight is the school bathroom. As they have for generations, teens take cover in the bathroom to socialize and smoke, but because vapes allow them to consume nicotine more discreetly than traditional cigarettes, district leaders are also embracing technological advancements to police them.

Purchasing records from schools across the country show that districts are spending millions to install sensors in student bathrooms—once considered a privacy no-go for electronic surveillance—to alert them to changes in air quality. (Read More)