Drivers suspected of being high on marijuana may soon face the same type of roadside breath test cops use to catch drunken drivers, as several firms prepare new devices for the street.
Created by Hound Labs in Northern California, investors are banking on a “massive market” for the breath test, known as the Hound. The breath test will retail for approximately $5,000 per unit and is a collaboration with the University of California at San Francisco and Berkeley. It is funded by Intrinsic Capital Partners, a Philadelphia growth equity fund.
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Dr. Mike Lynn, CEO of Hound Labs, says the test doubles as an alcohol breathalyzer. He said the Hound will be able to detect marijuana in the system if it has been smoked or ingested within the last three hours, a timeframe known as “the peak impairment window.” Lynn, a veteran emergency department physician, and Alameda County Sheriff’s Office reserve deputy sheriff told Digital Trends:
“The fundamental challenge is that THC exists in breath in concentrations that are something like a billion times less than alcohol. That means you need a breathalyzer that’s literally a billion times more sensitive if you’re going to use it for marijuana. It’s like identifying 25 or 30 specific grains of sand on a beach that’s well over a mile long. That’s a pretty tough scientific [problem to solve].”1
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Marijuana has been legalized for recreational use in 11 states plus the District of Columbia; 33 states plus D.C. have approved medical marijuana.
Police agencies are still mainly on the sidelines in terms of plans to purchase the devices. Madera Police Chief Dino Lawson said he’s taking a wait-and-see approach, adding:
“I think it’s interesting technology, but we don’t want to be the first to jump on it,” he said. “Absolutely, there’s a need for it. I hope they perfect it.”1
Janelle Dunham, public information officer for the CHP, said:
“The California Highway Patrol is always interested in testing and evaluating new and emerging technology.”1
