Don’t take the ‘high’ way: How scientists are developing a marijuana breath analyser

Even as the United States continues to decriminalise marijuana, a breath analyser to detect the drug is in the making. It is similar to the handheld device used to detect alcohol.

A team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the United States is developing a breath analyser that can detect the psychoactive compound THC on a person’s breath after they’ve smoked marijuana. According to a recent study, the device could work as an early prototype for a Breathalyser-type tool to test for the consumption of cannabis.

The making of the breath analyser

Researchers at UCLA and a UCLA startup called ElectraTect are testing a “cannabinoid fuel cell”. They say this provides a key foundation for developing a marijuana breath analyser similar to the ones that exist to test for alcohol on a person’s breath, reports NBC News.

The paper published in the journal Organic Letters says that the device can detect TCH and measure the concentration of the psychoactive components in the solution. Such technology can help gauge more accurately how much TCH is present in a person’s system compared to existing models, researchers said in the report.

Also read: ‘High time’ to follow US? Examining cannabis’ legal status in India

In 2020, UCLA organic chemistry professor Neil Garg and postdoctoral researcher Evan Darzi discovered that removing a hydrogen molecule from the larger THC molecule caused it to change colours in a detectable way. The process, known as oxidation, is similar to that used in alcohol breath analysers, which convert ethanol into an organic chemical compound through the loss of hydrogen. In most modern alcohol breath analyser devices, this oxidation leads to an electric current that shows the presence and concentration of ethanol in the breath, a press release by UCLA said.

Since their 2020 finding, the researchers have been working with their patent-pending oxidation technology to develop a THC breath analyser that works similarly.

UCLA scientists are now trying to miniaturise the technology to create a handheld device that can be used for rapid and inexpensive marijuana testing. The researchers said future devices could test for both alcohol and THC, reports NBC News.

The need for marijuana testing

In the United States and many other countries, cannabis is being legalised. However, driving under the influence is still illegal and risky.

In the 36 states in the US, where citizens are allowed to smoke weed medically or legally, law enforcement agents are struggling to determine how impaired a person is when behind the wheel. Studies have shown that the consumption of marijuana impairs skills to some extent and is associated with a higher risk of mishaps.

Chris Haslor, a Colorado attorney, tells Discover Magazine, that the legalisation of marijuana has led to a big shift for law enforcement. “When it was totally illegal, if you smelled it [or] saw a roach on the floorboard of a car, that instantly got you into cars without warrants. That instantly led to arrest.” However, now the situation has changed.

With the recent legalisation or decriminalisation of marijuana in many states, including California, the availability of a Breathalyser-like tool could help make roadways safer, the UCLA researchers said.

A step toward fairer testing

THC tends to remain in the body fluids for several days after smoking marijuana and hence testing saliva, blood, or urine can give skewed results, the researchers said.

“As such, there exists a need for a fair forensic tool capable of detecting THC in the short window of impairment,” the scientists wrote in the study. “This is particularly true in states and countries where marijuana has been decriminalised or legalised, given that traditional testing could lead to fines, prosecution, imprisonment, or loss of employment, even if the individual is not impaired at the time of testing.”

Beyond the implications for improved roadway safety, the new technology has the potential to make marijuana law enforcement fairer, the researchers said.

A commercial marijuana breath analyser based on the technology being developed by UCLA researchers could take years to come into the market. But Darzi and Garg said that their technology could be used in any situation where marijuana testing is needed including in the workplace, where employees might be operating machinery, or even at home, where individuals may one day be able to use it proactively — before they ever get behind the wheel, according to the UCLA.

With inputs from agencies

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