THIS MORNING WE’RE HEADING TO A SCHOOL TO SEE WHO CAN SPOT THE
VAPE.
VAPE. TAKE A CLOSE LOOK.
THIS STUDENT IS OUTFITTED WITH
VAPING DEVICES BUT YOU CAN’T SEE
THEM.
THEM. WHY?
WHY? THEY’RE DESIGNED TO LOOK JUST
LIKE NORMAL SCHOOL GEAR.
FOR SALE ONLINE AND IN VAPE
SHOPS.
SHOPS. GIVING KIDS NEW WAYS TO HIDE
THEIR VAPING HABITS ANYWHERE
THEY GO, INCLUDING SCHOOL.
>> IT’S RAMPANT.
I THINK EVERY ADMINISTRATOR WHO
HAS A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH
SCHOOL ARE GRAPPLING WITH VAPING
ISSUES.
ISSUES. >> OVERSEEING THE BERKELEY
DISTRICT IN NEW JERSEY.
>> IT’S VIRTUALLY UNDETECTABLE.
WE DON’T KNOW IF A STUDENT IS
VAPING IN A CLASSROOM.
>> WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT TO LOOK
FOR?
FOR? >> WE’RE TAKING OVER A CLASSROOM
AT THIS HIGH SCHOOL FILLED WITH
STUDENT VOLUNTEERS, THANK YOU,
GUYS, AND WE’RE GOING TO PLANT
THESE HIDDEN VAPING DEVICES, AND
BRING IN TEACHERS AND PARENTS
AND SEE JUST HOW WELL THEY DO AT
SPOTTING THE VAPE.
I GET TO WORK.
HERE’S ONE THAT’S DESIGNED TO
LOOK LIKE A BLACK MARKER.
STASHING STUFF ALL OVER THE
CLASSROOM.
CLASSROOM. THIS GUY LOOKS LIKE A USB, IT’S
NOT, IT’S A VAPE.
AND ON STUDENTS TOO.
LOOKS LIKE SHE’S WEARING A
REGULAR HOODIE, BUT UNDERNEATH A
VAPING DEVICE.
VAPING DEVICE. SOME VAPES EVEN LOOK JUST LIKE
SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES. LOOKS JUST LIKE A PEN BUT THE
VAPING DEVICE IS INSIDE AND YOU
CAN WRITE WITH IT.
TIME TO BRING IN OUR VOLUNTEERS.
I’M VICKY NGUYEN WITH THE
"TODAY" SHOW.
"TODAY" SHOW. >> NICE TO MEET YOU.
>> WHAT’S YOUR NAME?
>> MISS MORETTI.
WE HAVE OUTFITTED THIS CLASSROOM
WITH VAPING DEVICES, LOOK HIGH
AND LOW.
AND LOW. YOU READY?
YOU READY? >> I THINK I’M READY.
>> ONE MINUTE.
>> SHE SPOTS A COUPLE OF THEM.
>> THAT DEVICE, BUT BREEZES
RIGHT PAST MOST.
BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT.
>> THREE, TWO, AND THAT IS TIME.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAD A VAPING
DEVICE THAT SHE SPOTTED.
THREE ITEMS, NOT BAD.
HOW MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY HAVE
VAPING DEVICES.
VAPING DEVICES. BUT SHE MISSED 11 OF THE 14
ITEMS WE HID.
>> IT’S SCARY.
BECAUSE IT COULD BE JUST IN
PLAIN SIGHT.
PLAIN SIGHT. >> SOME TEACHERS SPOT A COUPLE
OF THE MORE OBVIOUS ONES.
>> THAT LOOKS LIKE ONE TOO.
>> Reporter: BUT MOST MISS THE
HARDER TO FIND ITEMS LIKE THIS
WATCH.
WATCH. SAM IS WEARING WHAT LOOKS LIKE A
SMART WATCH, BUT YOU PRESS THIS
BUTTON, THIS PART COMES OUT, YOU
CAN FILL THIS WITH NICOTINE AND
IT’S AN E-CIGARETTE.
ALL FIVE TEACHERS MISSING THIS
VAPE BACKPACK.
VAPE BACKPACK. THIS ONE HAS A HIDDEN DEVICE
RIGHT HERE IN THE STRAP.
>> THIS IS THE FIRST THING I
WOULD THINK IS A CAMEL BACK,
GETTING WATER THROUGH IT.
>> Reporter: AND THE HOODIE.
>> I THINK IT’S INGENIOUS
MARKETING AND I’M A LITTLE
FRIGHTENED.
FRIGHTENED. >> THIS COULD BE HAPPENING I GO
TO UNDER YOUR NOSE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT COULD BE HAPPENING IN MY
HOUSE.
HOUSE. I HAVE A 15-YEAR-OLD.
SO NOW, NO HOODIES.
>> Reporter: EVEN THIS SCHOOL
AID, A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER
MISSING THE WATCH AND PEN.
>> VERY DISHEARTENING THERE’S SO
MANY OUT THERE THAT THE KIDS CAN
GET ACCESS TO.
>> Reporter: WHAT ABOUT PARENTS?
WILL THEY DO A BETTER JOB
SPOTTING THE VAPE?
>> I THINK THAT’S A VAPING
DEVICE.
DEVICE. >> NOT THIS GROUP.
>> HE WAS WRITING WITH A PEN BUT
INSIDE THE PEN --
>> OH, GOT ME.
NOW I’VE GOT TO GO HOME AND
CHECK PENS.
CHECK PENS. >> Reporter: PARENT AFTER PARENT
ALSO MISTAKING THE DECOYS FOR
VAPES.
VAPES. >> I WAS POINTING AT THIS ONE,
BUT THAT ONE LOOKS FAIRLY
SUSPICIOUS AS WELL.
>> THAT’S JUST A MARKER AND THEY
CONFUSE THE REAL VAPE FOR
REGULAR ITEMS.
REGULAR ITEMS. >> WHAT DID YOU THINK THIS WAS?
>> DIDN’T THINK TO LOOK AT THAT,
A MARKET, ERASER OR HIGHLIGHTER.
>> THE MOST ANY OF OUR
VOLUNTEERS SPOTTED, JUST FIVE OF
THE 14 ITEMS WE HID.
THAT’S 36%, A FAILING GRADE.
>> IT’S VERY, VERY SCARY.
>> Reporter: AN EYE OPENING
EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH TEACHERS AND
PARENTS.
PARENTS. >> IF YOU HAVE TO HIDE
SOMETHING, THEN THERE’S
SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT.
>> SCARY TO SEE HOW EASILY THEY
CAN HIDE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> PARENTS NEED TO BE MORE
INVASIVE IN THEIR KIDS SPACES
AND ACTIVELY ENGAGED.
>> Reporter: WE REACHED OUT TO
THE VAPOR TECHNOLOGY SITUATION,
THEY DON’T APPROVE OF THESE
TYPES OF DEVICES, WORKING TO
BRING THE AGE TO 21.
I BROUGHT THESE ITEMS.
THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE A MARKER,
AND THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE WOULD
MISTAKE IT FOR.
THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHTERS WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT, HODA.
AND AS YOU KNOW --
>> SHOW THAT WATCH, THAT’S
CRAZY.
CRAZY. >> YOU POP IT OUT RIGHT HERE.
AND IT TELLS THE TIME.
SO YOU CAN EASILY SEE THAT --
>> UH-HUH.
>> UH-HUH. >> THERE’S A DIGITAL READOUT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. THIS IS CRAZY, THE HOODIE.
>> NOBODY GOT THE HOODIE.
>> CRAIG, I’LL RETURN YOUR
HOODIE LATER.
HOODIE LATER. >> IT’S INSANE.
IT’S LIKE A VAPING THING IN
HERE.
HERE. >> BUT IF YOU’RE A TECHER IN
CLASS WOULDN’T YOU SEE A KID
WHO’S LIKE -- EVEN IF THEY’RE --
>> YOU WOULD THINK SO BUT THEY
BREAK OFF INTO STUDY GROUPS.
THAT’S WHAT TEACHERS ARE TELLING
US.
US. YOU’RE DEALING WITH 30 KIDS AT A
TIME.
TIME. IT MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER AND
WHEN YOU HAVE A TINY PEN LIKE
THIS YOU CAN DO YOUR HOMEWORK
WITH.
WITH. >> IT’S CRAZY.
>> A REAL BIG CHALLENGE FOR
TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND TALKING
ABOUT ANTI-TOBACCO CAMPAIGNS,
CHECK IF YOUR DISTRICT HAS ONE
LIKE THE ONE WE WERE AT.