In a bid to avoid time-consuming series of tests to prove intoxication, an Oakland company and scientists from University of California teamed up and found a breakthrough that will lead to a roadside marijuana breathalyzer.
Fortune Magazine reports that Hound Labs Inc. has gotten ahead of the competition in the race to develop an instant roadside marijuana breathalyzer. The device is uniquely designed as an alcohol and marijuana breathalyzer. According to the company, they found an accurate way to measure THC with just a blow or two. THC is the high-inducing compound in cannabis. The portable is device is designed to detect if a driver is impaired with marijuana or alcohol use. This all in one tool highly appeals to law enforcement officers.
According to US News, the technology will be tested early next year in clinical trials however the whole concept is being anticipated by safety advocates, pot reformers, and law enforcement veterans.
"I'd like to think this is so clever, but obviously other companies are working on it as well," says Hound Labs CEO Mike Lynn, who also works as an emergency room doctor in Oakland.
"It's not as if every breathalyzer will be replaced overnight [but] it will completely change the ability to recognize stoned drivers," he added. "[And] our technology also will prevent the wrongful arrest of people who have some THC in their system but are not impaired."
The whole concept is to replace a complicated series of costly blood and urine testing that can take days to get a result. More so, the tests cannot determine between recent or chronic use.
It is true that more and more states are legalizing medical and recreational marijuana however cannabis still remains prohibited under federal law. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration admits that cannabis impairs psychomotor skills and cognitive function, however, there isn't enough information to tell how much dosage can affect driving performance.
Some States have taken the decision to themselves to set a limit on how much THC is not accepted. Washington and Montana set a limit of 5 nanograms while Pennsylvania sets it to 1 nanogram.
Although the device can accurately measure THC level from smoked pot, it is not capable of distinguishing impairment by itself.
