At Penn Wood High School in Lansdowne, students say a quick trip to the bathroom can mean walking into a cloud of smoke, not a quiet break between classes. Teens and police alike are sounding the alarm about vaping and drug use in bathrooms and hallways, warning that the steady stream of incidents is making it harder to learn and even to use basic spaces on campus.
According to 6abc, the William Penn School District said police were called to Penn Wood six times in March for incidents involving drug paraphernalia. In response, district officials told the station they have increased security staffing and expanded supervision in hallways and bathrooms, with disciplinary measures so far focused on parent conferences and intervention programs.
Lansdowne Borough Police Chief Kenneth Rutherford told 6abc, “We probably respond to the high school at least twice a week,” saying many calls begin when metal detectors or school staff uncover vape devices or when the odor of marijuana is detected. Students interviewed for the report said bathrooms are often “hotboxed” and that the smell of weed is “suffocating,” while police noted that students found with paraphernalia may receive citations.
Vaping Trend Makes Campus Cracking Down Tougher
A University of Michigan analysis of Monitoring the Future data found that among 12th-graders who reported using marijuana in 2024, about 67% said they vaped it, a shift researchers say makes on-campus detection tougher since vaping creates less odor and devices are easier to hide. University of Michigan researchers warned that flavored, discreet vaping products have become more common among teens and complicate school monitoring efforts.
District Context And Past Incidents
The William Penn School District has wrestled with high-profile drug-related concerns before. In 2024, prosecutors charged a Darby Borough crossing guard with supplying vapes and marijuana edibles to middle-school students, a case that heightened anxiety about how easily young people can access THC products. CBS Philadelphia reported on the arrests and the district’s response.
For now, school leaders say they are trying to walk a line between cracking down and offering help, stepping up supervision and working with police while providing intervention options for students who are caught. Parents and students told reporters they want more prevention education and outside health resources paired with the tighter monitoring, hoping that stronger support will keep the hallways and bathrooms from turning into permanent smoke zones.
