Pot Breathalyzer

An Oakland company working with scientists from the University of California at Berkeley is claiming a breakthrough in the race to develop an instant roadside marijuana Breathalyzer. Hound Labs Inc, said on Wednesday it had found an accurate way to measure THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis within one or two blows. The portable device is designed to help determine if a driver is impaired from recent marijuana use. The idea is to replace a complicated assortment of costly blood and urine tests that can take days to get a result and cannot distinguish between recent and chronic use. The devices will be able to detect not only tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the high-inducing compound in marijuana, but also alcohol, Lynn says, making them an all-in-one tool appealing to law enforcement

“It’s not as if every breathalyzer will be replaced overnight but it will completely change the ability to recognize stoned drivers,” he says, “and our technology also will prevent the wrongful arrest of people who have some THC in their system but are not impaired.” Drug-detecting breathalyzers currently on the market purport to be able to detect the presence of THC, but cannot measure its concentration. Without this, drivers suspected of being intoxicated on marijuana generally must supply a blood sample, the results of which don’t necessarily prove intoxication because THC remains in the body for a long period of time.

University of California at Berkeley chemistry professor Matt Francis says THC is found in very small concentrations on the breath of marijuana users. In order to be able to measure THC in breath, he says, it was necessary to amplify its signal by attaching a tag molecule. “THC is one million times more dilute than alcohol that you would detect in a regular breathalyzer,” he says. “Most chemical reactions don’t take place well at those very low concentrations.”

Though further testing is necessary, there’s excitement about the potential progress toward accurate roadside pot breathalyzers. The company hopes to have its product ready by the end of next year, assuming all goes well in clinical trials scheduled to begin next quarter.

 

For more information please visit: http://houndlabs.com

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