Once marijuana becomes legalized, ‘don’t drink and drive’ may shift more towards ‘don’t drive while high’.
While tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, remains detectable on the breath for up to 12 hours, and stays in blood and saliva, convenient roadside tests that produce instant results haven’t been available.
However, UBC Okanagan professor Mina Hoorfar’s new handheld device will change that.
Her microfluidic breath analyzer can determine the level of THC on a person’s breath within a matter of seconds.
The device, which costs about $15 to manufacture, uses a highly sensitive single gas sensor that assists in the recording and analysis of exhaled breath.
Because it’s Bluetooth-enabled, data can be collected with a cellphone.
Her creation can be used not only by police but for individuals seeking to monitor their own levels, and it can be to measure marijuana as well as alcohol levels.
