Over 7,000 US schools now use walk-through or handheld metal detectors daily, and vaping devices are among the most commonly detected prohibited items what sets off a metal detector vapes titanium more. School detectors are calibrated to identify weapons first, but they readily detect vapes due to their metal batteries and coils.

When a student triggers a school metal detector, here's what typically happens:

1. Initial alert: The walk-through detector beeps as the student passes through
2. Secondary screening: Security personnel use a handheld wand to locate the metal source
3. Identification: The vape is found in a pocket, backpack, or jacket
4. Confiscation: The device is confiscated and the student is sent to administration
5. Disciplinary action: Consequences range from confiscation and parent notification to suspension, depending on school policy

Many schools have zero-tolerance policies for vaping devices. Some districts use vape detectors in bathrooms and common areas in addition to metal detectors at entrances. If you're a student, there is no way to hide a vape from a metal detector — the metal battery and coil will always trigger the alarm.