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Canada Approves Device to Test Saliva for Cannabis

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[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]C[/dropcap]anada’s Attorney General plans to approve a device that tests for the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in saliva, which is part of the country’s plan to regulate and control impaired driving after cannabis is legalized on Oct. 17.

Canada’s Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould gave final approval, after a team of toxicologist and traffic safety experts weighed in on the topic. The Dräger DrugTest® 5000, made in Germany, is already approved in several countries including the United Kingdom. A Justice Department spokesperson noted that it may be configured differently than its European counterparts to fit Canadian standards. The device was also approved to test for cocaine.

The Dräger device was tested in a National Research Council Laboratory and evaluated by the Canadian Society of Forensic Science, a process other devices will have to undergo before approval. One concern about the device was its effectiveness in extreme cold, but officials suggested testing can be done in a warm car when temperatures are below freezing.

A revision of Canada’s impaired driving laws enabled the federal government to add official ways for testing THC levels in drivers. The overhaul to encompass cannabis also enables police to test for sobriety to test without proof someone has been drinking alcohol, but the police have to have suspicion a driver has consumed drugs before demanding a roadside saliva test. Police can lay criminal charges solely on blood THC levels.

The devices are part of the government’s strategy to prevent drug-impaired driving along with advertising campaigns and other advertising strategies.

The ministerial order to approve the device also means that there is a 30-day notice period before the devices can be ordered and officers trained to use them properly.

Currently, regulations already state that a THC level between two and five nanograms per milliliter of blood is punishable by a fine up to $1,000. Above five nanograms carries the same penalties as an alcohol-impaired driving conviction, including fine and imprisonment on future offenses.

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