SBIR-STTR Award

Driving under the influence of marijuana, the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States is reported to double the risk of crash involvement. As marijuana decriminalization and legalization measures continue to gain acceptance, the potential number of drivers using marijuana could rise dramatically, necessitating new ways for law enforcement to combat the pursuant increase in drug related traffic injuries and deaths. Accurate on-site devices to screen for drug intake are critical for establishing whether an individual is driving under the influence of drugs; there is currently no commercially available detection device to provide real-time results on-site, therefore; there is a need for rapid, accurate, and non-invasive determination of marijuana use to assess. The goal of this program is the development a DrugTest device appropriate for use in a road setting; packaged into a hand held portable, selfcontained, user-friendly, “just-add-saliva” which enable real-time measurement of THC, active impairment substance in Marijuana, in saliva at the point-of-collection

The overall objective of this program is to develop a portable, cost-effective and non-invasive sensor device for near real-time salivary THC detection to be used at roadside in drivers. This will eliminate the need for expensive and time-consuming analytical techniques which have a turn-around time of several days. During the Phase I program Giner has successfully established a new methodology for THC measurement using disposable screen-printed electrodes. The performance of the sensor was tested in both controlled solution and in human saliva at physiologically relevant levels. The selectivity of the sensor and lack of false positive responses were successfully evaluated in the presence of potential interfering species. Phase II will include continued algorithm optimization, prototype development, and extensive saliva testing from clinical administration to human subjects in collaboration with an addiction research marijuana lab.