*The detection of the recent use
of Cannabis in oral fluid has now become more effective with the
recently launched 'drugalyser® from MHS which has overcome previous
difficulties by the use of clever built-in chemical technology
(See Walsh Report 1.)
Unlike some other POC (point-of-care) immunoassays drug testing
products, this new device is capable of not only detecting most
major illegal drug groups on-site, but also detecting the recent
smoking of cannabis by this process.
The 'collector device' simply recovers the 'parent' Cannabis
substances from the oral cavities in the subject's saliva by a mouth
swab and inserts it into the on-site cassette. The cassette acts as
a mini-lab, chemically converting the relevant Cannabis compound of
the sample THC Delta9 into a THC detectable metabolite, THC COOH
which then enables the immunoassay plate to target it and provide a
result. The cassette also retains sufficient sample fluid for
subsequent laboratory analysis by independent approved laboratories
if required.
This simple three-step process can be completed within 10 minutes
without complicated, expensive equipment, laboratory waiting times
and costs and unlike urine samples, can provide legitimate
information on an individuals' capability in the workplace or on the
road not the out-of-date information found in urine samples.
Currently a positive THC Cannabis urine sample can be several
days/weeks out-of-date to when the substance was absorbed into the
system and may not have any relevance to an individual's ability to
function safely in the workplace as the substance may no longer be
present in the bloodstream. This may infringe data protection and
human rights (2)
1. .(Walsh
Report) "An Evaluation of Rapid Point-of-Collection Oral Fluid
Drug-Testing Devices" Vol 27, October 2003
2.
Article 8 Human Rights and Data Protection Act, 1998
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