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ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — As students head back to school, Dougherty County leaders are fighting back with new technology and a community-wide push for education.

Vaping is not a local issue. It is a national crisis.

Nationwide, more than 2.5 million children are currently vaping. In Georgia, the American Lung Association reports 18.2 percent of high school students are currently using e-cigarettes — more than double the national average.

Locally, Albany Police Department have documented at least 50 cases involving children and vapes since January — including overdoses. And as students return to classrooms, school and health officials say the urgency has never been greater.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: VAPING: There have been 50 cases in 2026 involving children in Albany <<

“Vaping is not just a Dougherty County issue,” said Dougherty County Schools Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Dyer. “It’s nationwide. When you go to conferences, you hear about the challenges with vapes because they come in so many different forms.”

Those forms include devices designed to look like everyday items: USB drives, pens, and other objects that are easy to conceal and difficult to detect with the naked eye.

Technology in Schools

To combat vaping inside school buildings, Dougherty County Schools have installed vape detectors in bathrooms and other areas throughout middle and high school campuses. The district has also upgraded its surveillance systems, including high-definition cameras with facial recognition capabilities, and will replace old metal detectors with evolved weapons detection systems this fall.

But Superintendent Dyer is clear that technology is only part of the solution.

“You can’t suspend your way out of a vape problem,” Dyer said. “It’s going to take education and awareness. A lot of times, parents and students don’t know the dangers of vaping. They think it’s just a harmless habit. But when you look at the research associated with vaping, it really can cause long-term health problems for students or anyone else that uses it.”

Community Partners in Education

Detectors can catch vaping inside school buildings. But health officials say preventing it requires something no device can replace, which is education.

That is exactly what Alexandria Lewis does every day. As the Adolescent Health Youth and Development Coordinator for the Southwest Health District, Lewis takes her message directly into K-12 schools, boys and girls clubs, and community organizations across Southwest Georgia.

“I go into the schools. I’ve been to several middle schools and high schools throughout Southwest Georgia,” Lewis said. “And I talk about vapes, the harms of vapes, the dangers of vaping. I even provide alternatives and different things that they can do instead of vaping if vaping is an issue within the school system or in the community.”

Why teens start and how to help them stop?

Lewis says peer pressure and mental health struggles are often at the root of why teens start vaping — and warns that the habit only makes both worse.

Vaping has been shown to worsen anxiety and depression, impair brain development, and create a nicotine addiction that is difficult to break. For teens already vaping, Lewis says the first step is simple.

“If a person is vaping, you can talk to someone and say, ‘Hey, I would like to get help,’” Lewis said. “But if you are not talking to a trusted adult, I would encourage you to do things that are more positive — such as reading a book, playing a game, playing sports, or something else that can help ease your mind instead of vaping.”

Watch for these warning signs:

• An unusual or sweet smell in the air or on clothing
• Unfamiliar vape pods, vape-like USB drives, or vape-like pens found around the house
• Increased irritability or mood changes
• Secretive behavior around devices or belongings

For parents ready to have that conversation, Lewis says the approach matters just as much as the message.

• Stay calm. Take an open, non-judgmental approach.
• Ask open-ended questions. Try: “I read an article about vaping products and I’m curious — what do you know about these?”
• Talk about the risks. Discuss the health consequences in a way that is honest and age-appropriate.
• Offer support. Let your child know you are there to help, not to punish.
• Connect them with help. Teens can talk to a quit coach by calling the Georgia Tobacco Quitline at 1-877-270-STOP (7867) or visiting livevapefree.com . The Quitline is a free public health service to help Georgians quit vaping and tobacco use.

Need more information? Here is where to start:

Georgia Department of Public Health dph.georgia.gov/chronic-disease-prevention/tobacco/e-cigarettes-vapes

Truth Initiative truthinitiative.org

CDC Tobacco Free Kids cdc.gov/tobacco/youth

Dougherty County Health Department 1710 S Slappey Blvd, Albany, GA 31701, (229) 638-6424

Phoebe Physicians Group Medical consultations and cessation support.

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