In France, the figures are striking. Indeed, 1 in 5 fatal accidents involves a driver who has consumed drugs.
Yet no reliable test can truly establish recent cannabis consumption. Existing methods sometimes detect traces going back several weeks, but nothing about the moment in question.
That is now a thing of the past, or almost. The Cannabix Marijuana Breath Test, a breathalyser adapted for THC, fills this gap. It is not yet available in the UK, but that could change soon.
Why current tests have their limitations
For decades, law enforcement agencies and employers have relied on three main methods to detect cannabis consumption:
- urine testing,
- saliva testing,
- blood analysis.
Each of these methods has its advantages. Some are fast, others less costly or more accurate.
However, they all share the same fundamental problem. They cannot distinguish between recent and past consumption.
For example, a urine test can reveal traces of THC up to 30 days after the last use in a regular consumer. A saliva test offers a shorter window, ranging from a few hours after consumption to a few days.
But in all cases, it is impossible to confirm cannabis consumption just minutes after intake.
The problem of false positives and CBD
Added to this limitation are the false positives linked to CBD consumption.
In France, the policy on THC is one of zero tolerance. If the slightest trace of THC is detected, the device triggers a positive result.
Yet many legal CBD products contain minute traces of THC (up to 0.3%). These traces are sufficient to trigger a positive result on a standard saliva test.
How does the Cannabix Marijuana Breath Test work?
With that context established, it is time to introduce the solution: the Cannabix Marijuana Breath Test.
Designed and manufactured in Canada, this device operates on a principle modelled on that of the breathalyser.
More specifically, this test analyses the air exhaled by the person being tested in order to detect the possible presence of THC.
What sets this tool apart is its detection window. It is four hours. This is in fact the period during which the effects of cannabis on cognitive and motor abilities are most pronounced.
A positive result therefore means that the person in question has consumed cannabis recently, within the past four hours, rather than “at some point in the past” as other tests may indicate.
Manufacturing, distribution and early uses
The device is available for purchase through Alco Prevention Canada, one of the country’s leading distributors of breathalysers and drug screening tests.
It is a highly anticipated product that will make it easier to intervene with consumers, particularly before they get behind the wheel. That is precisely the goal: to prevent, anticipate and act as early as possible.
Whether it is law enforcement agencies or private companies requiring their field teams to travel frequently, such as those in transport or construction, this device is gradually being rolled out.
What are the implications for road safety and the workplace?
In France, this device is not yet available for purchase, nor indeed anywhere else in the European Union.
It is worth noting that in France, driving after consuming drugs is a criminal offence punishable by two years in prison and a fine of 4,500 euros, in addition to a driving licence suspension.
If this device eventually becomes available and is used in France, law enforcement agencies would be able to act more effectively and would find it considerably easier to prove cannabis consumption.
A turning point in cannabis screening?
As mentioned above, the Cannabix Marijuana Breath Test has not yet been approved in France or in the European Union. Its large-scale deployment remains subject to the decisions of regulatory authorities.
Nevertheless, its development clearly points the way towards the future of cannabis screening: increasingly accurate, increasingly fast, to prevent the slightest problem from arising.