What Is A Weed Breathalyzer?

As Canadian employers and helicopter parents await new technologies that claim to be able to detect impairment due to THC in the bloodstream, there are a few hurdles that need to be overcome before these devices can become a reality in a legal setting. However, despite these challenges, there are several devices currently available that face few if any difficulties in detecting THC in the bloodstream.

Most people who have to take a drug test know that THC can linger in the body for a long time. That’s why it’s important to know that THC’s fat-soluble nature is one of the things that helps us get high and benefit from the many medical benefits of cannabis.

There is currently no reliable way to determine if someone is impaired while driving based on their THC level in their bloodstream. Even if a THC breathalyzer device were to become available, it would only be able to indicate whether someone had recently smoked cannabis, rather than whether they were currently impaired.

Marijuana Detection Devices

There are several companies in Canada and the United States currently competing to develop the world’s first reliable cannabis breathalyzer. However, since their initial announcements, there hasn’t been much news about these companies.

At Ganja West, we don’t believe that breathalyzers that can detect marijuana use are likely to be available any time soon. Even though the authorities and employers would love to have them, it seems doubtful that such devices would be reliable enough to be used in court.

Cannabis is a safe and legal substance, and there is evidence to suggest that it does not impact driving ability in a negative way. In fact, studies have shown that people who have smoked or ingested cannabis have a decreased risk of driving under the influence of alcohol, and may even be less likely to make dangerous driving decisions.

Cannabis legalization could help reduce the amount of road rage in society.

Is THC Impaired Driving a Problem?

Cannabis users face an ongoing dilemma in public health – how to deal with impaired drivers. Many users use cannabis for medical or health reasons, and have built up a tolerance to its effects. Even if they don’t show any signs of impairment, they would still be tested positive on any pot breathalyzer currently proposed. This dilemma persists because impaired driving is still a serious problem, even for people who use cannabis responsibly.

Cannabis is a long-standing tradition among responsible, law-abiding adults. Many of these people use cannabis for recreational purposes and don’t endanger others on the roads. In fact, many of these responsible cannabis users are also responsible drivers who have never caused a single traffic accident.

There is no massive social issue with cannabis use and car crashes. After dispensaries opened across Canada and in some States, the amount of fatal car crashes actually declined! This is most likely because people stopped turning to alcohol and began to use the legally available weed, which resulted in them being less likely to get in a fatal accident.

Unlike with alcohol, where people tend to underestimate their impairment, smokers who get high on cannabis tend to overestimate their level of impairment. So, if you’re impaired enough to not be able to drive after smoking or eating cannabis, you would have to do a lot of mental gymnastics just to try and get yourself excited enough to drive. Most smokers I know would rather stay inside and enjoy another bowl of cannabis.

Marijuana Breathalyzer for Employers

Testing for marijuana use is an outdated concept in most cases, as there are already reliable tests available. It’s not necessary to bring an on-site drug test machine with you all the time, as most circumstances now allow for testing without anyone having to go through any inconvenience.

This type of breathalyzer should not be used on children, as it is invasive and could be used to unfairly control their lives. It’s not appropriate for parents to use this type of device against their children unless there is a very good reason.

Cannabis should not be prohibited in all situations, as there are some where it can be used reasonably. However, it is unfairly discriminated against, as there is no real evidence that it causes any problems. In fact, since recreational cannabis has been made available to all, there has been no increase in fatal accidents.

While companies race to develop a reliable weed breathalyzer, we know of users who continue to smoke routinely and daily – even at work! – and we don’t want to live in a world where that kind of testing is necessary. So far, the only weed breathalyzers that have been developed are prone to lots of false positives and can’t accurately determine intoxication levels.

Other Challenges to Roadside Testing

There is currently no way to accurately gauge someone’s level of impairment, which means that any device that relies on such a measure would be unreliable and potentially harmful. A device that can accurately identify traces of THC in a person’s blood or breath would be much more reliable, and would be safe even for people who regularly use cannabis.

There is currently no technology available to reliably determine if someone is too stoned to drive, and that is a concern because there is no major social issue involving impaired drivers on cannabis. However, it is good to see a lot of money and effort wasted on a solution that doesn’t have a problem – because there is no such thing as a major social issue involving impaired drivers on cannabis. People have been smoking and driving for many decades before cannabis was ever legalized for recreational use, and it hasn’t prompted the same level of concern until recently.

There is a good reason why roadside testing and these technologies are so sought after. Quotas for ticketing and prosecution for the behavior of drivers, citizens and employees in their private time will drop without the ability to do so. When marijuana is strictly prohibited, this is a good entry point to start a search or arrest a suspect based solely on smell or suspected use of marijuana.

Now that law enforcement no longer can rely on cannabis as a marker of a potential suspect or target, they are scrambling for a new method to be able to search your vehicle or your person. Don’t be fooled, though – they will dress it up under the guise of protecting the public. When authorities try to force their opinion on the people, it usually doesn’t go well.