Bern, Switzerland: Onsite oral fluid testing technology remains unreliable for detecting the presence of cannabis in motorists, according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Analytical Toxicology.
Swiss police administered oral drug screens to 61 motorists at random checkpoints. Only one of the subjects tested positive for cannabis following saliva testing. However, GC-MS confirmation testing revealed that 18 subjects actually had cannabis in their systems, including one subject who admitted to having smoked marijuana in the previous hour. “Although oral fluid appears as a promising specimen for large epidemiological studies, the market lacks suitable onsite devices for cannabis,” the study concluded.
To date, roadside oral fluid testing has only been implemented in Victoria, Australia, where critics have charged that the test is often inaccurate. However, large-scale pilot programs regarding the use of roadside oral screening to test motorists for controlled substances are expected to begin shortly in both Europe and the United States.
For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500.