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Police sobriety test isn’t accurate for cannabis but $1.5m is being spent to rectify it
Police in Florida are reportedly concerned about the prospect of people driving under the influence of cannabis if legalization goes ahead this November after the public vote known as Amendment 3. Meanwhile, cannabis is outpacing alcohol as Americans daily drug of choice, and researchers are gearing up to test a new kind of cannabis breathalyzer.�
Single breath tests cant reliably test recent cannabis use, according to research by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), because its intoxicants can linger in the body for days or even weeks long after the effects have worn off. And it’s hard to detect in breath even at the best of times. A new approach is needed, and its on the horizon. NIST researchers have called their new double-breath test potentially paradigm-changing, but it wont be available in the real world for some time.�
Researchers hail paradigm change in cannabis breathalyzer protocol
Breath tests for alcohol have been around for nearly 100 years. Theyre relatively straightforward to administer because they test ethanol, which is exhaled in a gaseous vapor in a concentration that matches the amount in the blood, according to Medical Xpress.
THC is much harder to test. It makes its way into the breath but in much smaller concentrations. NIST chemical engineer Tara Lovestead says trying to detect it is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Last year, a single breath test was found to be unreliable at testing recent cannabis use, because it can hang around in the body for a long time after smoking or ingestion. Specifically, this makes it hard to tell the difference between recent use, which would impair driving and make it illegal, and past use.�
Now theyre considering an approach that involves two breath tests, with a gap in between of about an hour. If their research, which well cover in a minute, is successful then it could lead to an improved roadside test.
“This is potentially paradigm-changing,” says one of NISTs research engineers. “If successful, it could pave the way for on-the-spot detection of recent cannabis use by law enforcement.”
The research will cost $1.5m and wont be complete for several years
“A reliable breath test for cannabis is both a public safety and equity issue,” Tara Lovestead says. The field sobriety tests currently being administered to wayward drivers werent designed for cannabis users, so they’re of limited practical value in areas where people are opting for cannabis over alcohol.
Police who pull over drivers suspected of cannabis impairment have a set of tests like heel-to-toe walking or repeating a sentence correctly. The tests are imprecise, and geared towards alcohol inebriation.�
The idea behind the two-breath test is to determine whether theres a significant drop in THC levels in a drivers breath over a set period. If the amount drops relatively quickly, its likely the driver has used cannabis recently.
A pilot study is due to take place over the coming years. First, researchers will select 40-50 individuals aged between 25 and 50. The participants will use one of two THC-based substances and then complete 10 breath tests at set time intervals.
The various processes of enrolment, carrying out the experiment, and analyzing the results will likely take several years, Medical Xpress writes. So, don’t hold your breath… The budget for the research is $1.5 million and comes from NIST and the National Institute of Justice.�
