UBC Okanagan engineering professor Mina Hoorfar has developed a handheld breath analyzer that can detect the presence of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.
Traditional drug tests rely on blood or saliva samples, but Hoorfar’s breathalyzer uses only the subject’s breath, making it more practical and easy to use.
The device uses microfluidic technology and a selective gas sensor that works even under extreme conditions like heat and humidity, Hoorfar said.
“This is a tool not just for the police, but perhaps more for self-testing and self-monitoring,” said Hoorfar. “People can consciously make the choice to test themselves after they have consumed THC or alcohol.”
The device cost approximately $15 to make. Hoorfar is working on a similar device that can be used to register ketones, which would allow diabetics to monitor their glucose levels.
The story was covered by the Canadian Press (Huffington Post, Yahoo, Times Colonist, Calgary Herald, Metro News). It appeared in the Globe and Mail, MSN, CBC News, CTV, Global BC, Vancouver Sun, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon Star Phoenix, The Province, News 1130, Business in Vancouver, 24 Hours, Vancouver Observer, Castanet, Kelowna Now, and others.
