A new saliva test, developed by researchers in the US, can reveal in a matter of minutes if someone has used cannabis in the past 12 hours and even shows the concentration levels of the drug in their body. The rapid, highly sensitive and non-invasive new test can detect cannabis in saliva in just five minutes, much faster than previous tests that take even days to get results.
The scientists, led by Associate Professor Hako Li of Harvard University School of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital, who published the paper in the American journal Science Translational Medicine, tested the test on 43 other cannabis users. users (the control group).
The test detects directly in the saliva of users the main psychoactive substance of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). According to the researchers, an accurate and fast cannabis test is needed, as the latter is becoming more widespread and in addition there is a tendency to legalize it for medical or recreational purposes.
Cannabis is one of the most widely used drugs, with at least 180 million regular users worldwide. Although it has been banned for decades, in recent years the treatment of it has tended to change. Indicatively, in the USA 36 states have already legalized it for medical uses, while 18 states for recreational use.
Many employers in the US and other countries regularly test some of their employees, such as drivers or heavy machinery users. However, current cannabis tests (Current Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry or GC-MS), which are based on blood or urine samples, have several disadvantages, mainly unsuitable for immediate detection. In addition, THC can remain in the bloodstream even for weeks after the last cannabis use, making existing tests unable to distinguish the current use from the recent one (days or weeks ago).
The new rapid EPOCH test uses an optical sensor to detect THC in saliva within five minutes, where the presence of this substance "testifies" better (compared to blood or urine) that cannabis has been used in the last 12 hours. The detection of THC in saliva is done either if the user has inhaled cannabis or if he has consumed it with his food. The test result is not affected by other factors, such as whether the user is a cigarette smoker or has drunk coffee.
Test developers are optimistic that, with its further improvement, EPOCH will be a cheap solution for roadside checks, workplace workers, etc.
in.gr
