UBCO researchers create portable marijuana breathalyzer

A small device that easily pairs to a cellphone could help police catch impaired drivers, or keep you from getting behind the wheel drunk or high.

The device which was developed by UBC Okanagan researchers tests the smell of your breath and determines if you’re too stoned to drive.

UBC Okanagan engineering professor Mina Hoorfar created the microfluidic breath analyzer which detects the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis, in a person’s breath.

“It’s very easy to test for THC as it is a big molecule that stays in your breath for a long time,” said Hoorfar, who was recently named UBC Okanagan’s researcher of the year. “There is a period of 12 hours after you have consumed THC when it can still be detected in your breath.”

Hoorfar is the head of the Advanced Thermo-Fluidic Laboratory (AFTL) where she and PhD student Mohammad Paknahad created the breathalyzer.

Currently, roadside testing analyzing blood or spit tests holds up results, although THC stays in blood and saliva. Their device, which is about the size of two fingers together, would allow police to find out if a person is impaired within seconds.

The device costs about $15 to manufacture and is Bluetooth-enabled so data can be sent directly to a cellphone.

According to Hoorfar, the device isn’t just helpful to police, people can also use it to self-monitor their alcohol or marihuana consumption.

“People can consciously make the choice to test themselves after they have consumed THC or alcohol,” she said.

The breathalyzer was made with a 3D printer at the UBC’s campus in Kelowna. It uses a single gas sensor along with a micrometer deep channel that’s thinner than a strand of hair.

Hoorfar said they were spurred to create the product because of the possibility of decriminalization of cannabis in Canada, meaning driving while high would likely become an enforcement matter.

The device can also register odours other than THC. It is currently being tested for ketones, meaning diabetics may eventually be able monitor their glucose levels with a breathalyzer rather than a pin prick. The device is also being tested above gas lines, using a drone, to see if it can detect gas leaks.