Federal authorities are adopting a new strategy to assess recent marijuana use by revising protocols for analyzing THC breath samples. The initiative is part of continuing efforts to improve the accuracy and reliability of cannabis impairment field testing, particularly in drivers.
Researchers from the University of Colorado and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) propose that using two breath tests within an hour could be more effective than relying on a single test. They aim to determine if this method could be developed into a practical field test.
One of the biggest obstacles to marijuana legislation has been figuring out whether recent cannabis usage would have impaired someone, especially a driver. The tests available now can identify THC use days or even weeks after intake, but they are not very accurate at measuring recent use that might suggest impairment.
According to NIST, roadside sobriety tests, such as heel-to-toe walking or phrase repetition, are typically employed by law enforcement officials in case they suspect a driver of being under the influence of cannabis. However, a recent study found that these tests can result in false positives because they were not intended to identify cannabis impairment.
The new pilot study, funded through a $1.5 million agreement between the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and NIST will recruit around 45 participants aged 25 to 50 from the Boulder and Denver areas of Colorado. Participants will be divided into two groups: one using THC-dominant marijuana flower and the other using THC concentrates. Participants will buy and consume the goods themselves at home because federal regulations prohibit researchers from obtaining cannabis from shops.
Participants will go to a nearby mobile pharmacology lab after cannabis consumption. They will have 10 breath tests during a two-hour period, at predetermined intervals. The gathered breath samples, blood tests and questionnaires about their cannabis use will all be examined for THC and other cannabinoids.
In addition to this study, NIST has been actively engaged in investigations to improve the precision of cannabinoid testing in hemp and marijuana. In 2020, the organization introduced the Cannabis Laboratory Quality Assurance Program (CannaQAP). It followed up on earlier results about moisture content, the presence of heavy metals and toxins, and the THC content in plant materials with the issuance of a paper earlier this year.
However, some experts, including a researcher from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), have voiced concerns over the existing method of cannabis impairment testing. The researcher proposed that measuring a person’s systemic THC content might not be the most accurate method of assessing impairment for driving. Cannabis impairment may necessitate a whole new approach, in contrast to alcohol, where blood alcohol content is a reliable signal.
If this new way of testing for marijuana impairment proves to be a reliable method, the entire cannabis industry, including entities such as Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF), is likely to welcome that development because it would address one of the longstanding sources of misplaced complaints about marijuana legalization by prohibitionists who claim that road crashes will increase even if no substantive evidence suggests this is the case.
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