CCSD will consider $4.4M settlement over student vape pens

The Clark County School Board will consider Thursday accepting a $4.4 million settlement offer with tobacco company Altria over student vape pen use.

About 30 percent of the settlement amount will go toward attorney fees, leaving the Clark County School District with an estimated $3.1 million.

The topic is on the school board’s consent agenda, where multiple items are typically approved in one vote without discussion.

The item is labeled “confidential” on the agenda, and no related documents were posted with online meeting materials.

The district has not yet responded to a request for comment Monday.

In August 2022, the board authorized seven law firms to conduct litigation on its behalf against San Francisco-based e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs and Altria, which had a 35 percent stake in Juul until earlier this year.

The district said last year that it has incurred expenses related to detecting and reporting student vape pen use on campuses.

Trustees authorized a settlement in March with Juul Labs and received about $9.5 million after paying attorney fees.

And the state of Nevada received about $14.4 million as part of a settlement last year with Juul related to the company’s marketing tactics and involving more than 30 U.S. states.

Emergency security upgrade at Miley

The school board’s agenda Thursday also includes a $2.3 million emergency security upgrade at Miley Achievement Center, which serves students who have special needs.

The district entered into a construction agreement Aug. 4 with Sletten Construction of Nevada.

The item is for informational purposes, and trustees aren’t slated to hear a presentation or take action.

State law allows the district to enter into a contract without school board permission in an emergency situation that affects public health and safety. The district must provide information to the board at its next regular meeting.

The project at Miley is designed to “upgrade the existing security features, replace damaged fencing, doors, and hardware to prevent students from climbing onto the roof,” according to online meeting materials.

It also includes removing exterior patios to “increase site visibility for school staff,” and to update and add more security cameras.

It’s unclear whether the work is underway or has been completed. The district hasn’t responded to a request for comment as of Monday afternoon.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on X.