New technology unveiled by Illinois state police can allegedly determine whether a driver is under the influence of marijuana and other drugs by gauging an eye’s response to light. Police said that the device, known as EYECHECK, will be tested in four locations across the state, but failed to estimate when or if the technology will become a standard part of police equipment.
EYECHECK resembles a pair of binoculars. Police will ask drivers suspected of being under the influence to peer into the equipment. Three flashes of light dilate the pupils, and the device then measures the response to the stimuli. Proponents of the technology claim that EYECHECK works faster and more efficiently than blood and Breathalyzer tests.
Presently, urinalysis is the most common type of test used to determine marijuana consumption; however, the test can not detect impairment or how recently the drug was consumed.
For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre or Paul Armentano of The NORML Foundation @ (202) 483-8751.