Marijuana plant
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Thomas Mangan
Scientists in California have developed a breathalyzer that can detect whether a driver is stoned on marijuana. It is a significant breakthrough in law enforcement, and it solves one of the major problems police officers currently face when they suspect that a driver is stoned and has been driving under the influence of marijuana.
Until now it has been almost impossible to detect and measure marijuana levels in someone’s breathe by using a portable device. All of the existing tests to detect marijuana rely on a blood test, a urine test, or a test of saliva samples to detect traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component in marijuana. Obviously, police officers can’t do those tests while they have someone pulled over on the side of the road. Those tests take too much time to perform; the samples have to be sent off to a lab.
Current tests also do not distinguish between recent marijuana use and chronic marijuana use. They only detect whether there are traces of marijuana in the blood, urine or saliva. They can only detect that the person has used marijuana in the past few days or weeks. They cannot detect whether or not the driver has smoked marijuana recently and is actually impaired. The new marijuana breathalyzer allows police officers to detect and measure the level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in someone’s breath, in almost the same way that police officers now use breathalyzers to detect dangerous alcohol levels in a driver’s breath.
The technology was developed by Hound Labs Inc. an Oakland, California company founded by Dr. Mike Lynn, an emergency room physician at Highland Hospital in Oakland. Lynn is also a reserve deputy sheriff for Alameda County, and in both of those positions he has seen first-hand what can happen to someone who drives when they are stoned. Hound Labs collaborated with scientists at UC Berkeley to develop the technology, and Hound Labs has already applied for a patent on the technology. The new marijuana breathalyzer is currently undergoing clinical trials.
Currently twenty three States and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of Medical Marijuana, and fourteen more States are considering legalizing Medical Marijuana use. As more and more States legalize Medical Marijuana it is logical to expect that more people will be driving while they are stoned. Dr. Lynn puts it this way, “The reality is that over 100 million people in this country have legal access to marijuana, so let’s acknowledge that.”
Hound Labs doesn’t yet know if the breathalyzer can detect if someone ate a marijuana product, such as a marijuana brownie. According to Dr. Lynn, “We have no idea what’s in the brain based on some measure in your mouth.” Take it one step at a time.
Also, right now there is no nationwide standard on how much THC it takes to make it unsafe for someone to drive. Some States such as Washington and Montana limit THC levels to five nanograms per milliliter of blood, while Pennsylvania limits THC levels to only one nanogram. But as the new marijuana breathalyzer technology gets out into the field, and is used by police officers, law enforcement agencies nationwide will demand that lawmakers define exactly how much THC represents a state of intoxication.
Scientists in California have developed a breathalyzer that can detect whether a driver is stoned on marijuana. It is a significant breakthrough in law enforcement, and it solves one of the major problems police officers currently face when they suspect that a driver is stoned and has been driving under the influence of marijuana.
Until now it has been almost impossible to detect and measure marijuana levels in someone’s breathe by using a portable device. All of the existing tests to detect marijuana rely on a blood test, a urine test, or a test of saliva samples to detect traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component in marijuana. Obviously, police officers can’t do those tests while they have someone pulled over on the side of the road. Those tests take too much time to perform; the samples have to be sent off to a lab.
Current tests also do not distinguish between recent marijuana use and chronic marijuana use. They only detect whether there are traces of marijuana in the blood, urine or saliva. They can only detect that the person has used marijuana in the past few days or weeks. They cannot detect whether or not the driver has smoked marijuana recently and is actually impaired. The new marijuana breathalyzer allows police officers to detect and measure the level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in someone’s breath, in almost the same way that police officers now use breathalyzers to detect dangerous alcohol levels in a driver’s breath.
The technology was developed by Hound Labs Inc. an Oakland, California company founded by Dr. Mike Lynn, an emergency room physician at Highland Hospital in Oakland. Lynn is also a reserve deputy sheriff for Alameda County, and in both of those positions he has seen first-hand what can happen to someone who drives when they are stoned. Hound Labs collaborated with scientists at UC Berkeley to develop the technology, and Hound Labs has already applied for a patent on the technology. The new marijuana breathalyzer is currently undergoing clinical trials.
For the times they are a-changin'.But Hound Labs isn’t the only company working on marijuana breathalyzer development for law enforcement and the workplace. Cannabix Technologies Inc. is also developing a durable, portable hand-held tool designed to enhance detection of marijuana impaired driving offences.
Bob Dylan
Currently twenty three States and the District of Columbia have legalized the use of Medical Marijuana, and fourteen more States are considering legalizing Medical Marijuana use. As more and more States legalize Medical Marijuana it is logical to expect that more people will be driving while they are stoned. Dr. Lynn puts it this way, “The reality is that over 100 million people in this country have legal access to marijuana, so let’s acknowledge that.”
Hound Labs doesn’t yet know if the breathalyzer can detect if someone ate a marijuana product, such as a marijuana brownie. According to Dr. Lynn, “We have no idea what’s in the brain based on some measure in your mouth.” Take it one step at a time.
Also, right now there is no nationwide standard on how much THC it takes to make it unsafe for someone to drive. Some States such as Washington and Montana limit THC levels to five nanograms per milliliter of blood, while Pennsylvania limits THC levels to only one nanogram. But as the new marijuana breathalyzer technology gets out into the field, and is used by police officers, law enforcement agencies nationwide will demand that lawmakers define exactly how much THC represents a state of intoxication.
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