Key Takeaways

• The Georgia legislature has introduced multiple education-related bills focused on campus safety and student health.
• Proposals include extending existing “no cellphone” policies from lower grades to high schools.
• Another bill would require schools to provide firearm safety education beginning as early as kindergarten, emphasizing “don’t touch, get away, and tell an adult.”
• A separate proposal would mandate the installation of vape detectors in all Georgia high schools to monitor nicotine- or THC-related aerosols and send real-time alerts to school administrators.

According to Atlanta News First, lawmakers in Atlanta, the capital of the U.S. state of Georgia, have recently introduced a package of education bills aimed at strengthening campus safety and improving student health. The proposed measures address a wide range of issues, including classroom cellphone use, vaping prevention, and firearm safety education.

With regard to vaping control, State Representative Imani Barnes has introduced a bill that would require all high schools across Georgia to install vape detection systems.

These devices are designed to detect aerosol particles associated with nicotine or THC and send real-time alerts to school officials.

Barnes said that student vaping on school grounds—particularly in restrooms—has been spreading and becoming increasingly common. Regarding funding, she noted that the program could be supported through state appropriations or budget allocations, although a formal fiscal note has not yet been completed.

The report also cited a University of Georgia survey indicating that nearly one in five high school students in Georgia has used e-cigarette products.

Image source: Atlanta News First