A cannabis breathalyzer is now available in Michigan to detect recent use
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A breathalyzer designed to determine whether someone is currently under the influence of cannabis is being used by employers in Michigan and is now available at several medical centers across the state.
The device, developed by California-based Hound Labs Inc., is one of the first to detect recent marijuana use, unlike other tests that detect cannabis use over a longer period of time.
“Our product has the specific purpose of preventing weekday use, whereas many other products where the detection window is so long are targeted at habitual users,” said Tamanna Prashar, chief operating officer of Hound Labs, in an interview with the Detroit Free Press. “We want to make sure that you can use (cannabis) products anytime you want – the key word is ‘recreationally’ – but you are not fundamentally treated unfairly if you do that.”
Many employers in Michigan have reviewed their drug testing policies over the past few decades, most notably in 2008 when medical marijuana was legalized and again in 2018 when recreational marijuana was legalized. More recently, some companies have decided to stop testing new employees for marijuana because they didn’t want to miss out on talent in a tight job market.
A major challenge in testing employees for marijuana has been the lack of a test that can detect recent use. More available drug tests using urine, saliva and hair can detect THC in the body for several days, weeks and even months.
Yet in workplaces that test for marijuana, Michigan’s positivity rates are rising. Last year, the positivity rate for the Michigan workforce was 5.8%, compared to 3.1% for the general U.S. workforce, according to recently released data from Quest Diagnostics, a New Jersey-based company that analyzes millions of workplace drug tests each year. In Michigan, that percentage has steadily increased over the past four years, from 3.9% in 2019 to 5.2% in 2022.
Hound Labs’ ability to detect THC is “critical” given these rising levels, Prashar said. She said Michigan is a key state for the 10-year-old company because of the many manufacturing operations there and the associated workplace safety requirements.
According to Hound Labs, there are more than 25 breathalyzers in the state of Michigan and about 120 total across the U.S. The tests are also available at all 19 Concentra medical centers in Michigan, including centers in downtown Detroit, Warren, Southfield, Troy and Allen Park, according to Hound Labs and a Concentra spokesperson.
The tests can be used for pre-employment drug screenings, random testing, reasonable suspicion and after accidents, Prashar said.
“Ultimately, laws and policies change, but the foundation of what we do is to prevent these abuses … and focus on how we make the right negative judgment to always give the worker the benefit of the doubt,” she said.
How a cannabis breathalyzer works
The donor breathes into a mouthpiece for about two minutes, similar to a breathalyzer that detects alcohol. Then the breath sample is stored in a cartridge and sent to Quest Diagnostics. It takes about 24 hours to get a negative result and between 72 and 96 hours to get a non-negative result, Prashar said.
A new technology that will produce results within 30 minutes is expected to hit the market later this year or early next year, she said, adding that there will be Hound Labs-certified collectors on site who can perform the test.
More news from the cannabis industry: Michigan cannabis regulator wants to ban potentially harmful substances in vape pens
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Hound Labs plans to gather user feedback from employers and then “it’s on our agenda to involve law enforcement,” but that’s not something the company has tackled yet.
In Michigan, it is illegal for drivers to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated, even if they are under the influence of marijuana.
Contact Adrienne Roberts: [email protected].
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