Plastic suction devices marketed to rescue choking victims are arriving in American school cafeterias this fall under new state laws, and the agency that regulates medical devices still says they should not be the first thing anyone reaches for.
Texas now requires each district to make at least one airway clearance device available at every campus under the Westyn Bryan Mandrell Act, which applies from the 2025-2026 school year. The law lets districts obtain the devices through donations or appropriated funds, requires them to be stored near where students eat, and requires a trained employee to be nearby when a substantial number of students are present. New York City's Council passed its own mandate in December, though that law takes effect only if a device receives FDA authorization for school-age children. Bills have also been introduced in other states, including Kentucky.
