A second clinical trial has been conducted by breath diagnostics company Hound Labs in collaboration with the University of California, San Francisco. The results of the trial, which was successful, identify how much tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is present in a breathalyzer developed by the company.

Hound Labs’ clinical trial of the company’s THC breathalyzer will undoubtedly push the company to new realms of success.

The cannabis industry at large is sure to benefit from such a device that can be widely integrated into the cannabis safety aspects of legalization.

The results of Hound Labs’ clinical trial

A group of designated professionals was allocated to conduct the Hound Labs trial. They discovered the presence of THC in a person’s breath 2 to 3 hours after smoking cannabis. This is the peak level of impairment, based on government studies.

Hound Labs’ clinical trial was the very first time that THC was accurately detected in someone’s breath. Analysis for the study necessitated a mechanism that could measure L complex molecules in the breath at low levels; as low as one trillionth of a gram per liter of breath.

Researchers from UCSF used Hound Labs’ alcohol and cannabis breathalyzer to gather breath samples. Later in the year, a commercial version of Hound Labs’ breathalyzer will be introduced to customers. A number of manufacturers have teamed up with the company to produce the breathalyzers.

Why is this important?

The success of Hound Labs’ clinical trial on its THC breathalyzer device could improve the law enforcement’s stance towards cannabis legalization. Additionally, since the breathalyzer can provide a positive result for THC during the peak period of impairment, it is more accurate as a result.

Positive results for THC may show with other types of testing, such as saliva, blood or urine testing. However, this is used to determine THC in someone’s system days after they have consumed weed and when the feeling of impairment has completely subsided.

Hound Labs’ THC breathalyzer could be beneficial not only for law enforcement officers but also, for employees that are currently using hair or other methods to conduct testing. Although smoking is still the most popular way to consume cannabis, alternative methods of consumption do exist. They include eating edibles and vaping/sublingually using cannabis oil.

It’s unsure if Hound Labs’ THC breathalyzer will be capable of detecting THC through alternative methods.

However, the company commended the Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine at UCSF and co-director of the Clinical Chemistry and Toxicology Laboratory at San Francisco General Hospital, Dr. Kara Lynch, saying they discovered that THC transfers from the blood into the breath.