Marijuana Breathalyzers To Test California Drivers For Pot Use

After several states have legalized marijuana, law enforcement has been searching for the most effective and least intrusive method to test for impairment in drivers. Californians were the first to test a new device from Hound Labs which can detect if the user is high from marijuana smoke or even an edible. While testing the device, users who smoked 30 minutes to 3 hours prior both tested positive for THC, the active compound in cannabis. It's being called the marijuana breathalyze, developed with the help of the University of California's chemistry department , and the device can also check for alcohol. Until this new technology is ready, law enforcement is forced to rely on innacurate methods of detecting cannabis which can flag a user as 'impaired' days or weeks after the user has smoked. Hound Labs hope to finish field testing and get the device around the nation as soon as possible. 

As a part of a initial field test, several drivers were pulled over due to poor driving and were asked to voluntarily blow into the marijuana breathalyzer developed by Hound Labs.

The marijuana breathalyzer – which had some help in development by the University of California’s chemistry department – is able to detect THC on people’s breath after they’ve consumed edible pot products as well as alcohol.

Until it’s perfected, police will have to continue relying on testing saliva, urine, and blood to measure marijuana in the system, which can show the presence of drugs days after the user is actually under the influence.