Minnesota will begin performing roadside impairment tests for cannabis in their state.
According to a recent article in the Minnesota-based newspaper the Star Tribune (1), state officials are trying to figure out how to help enforce cannabis safety and will begin instructing law enforcement officers on how to use different testing devices to detect cannabis-impaired drivers on the road. Police officers will reportedly soon begin using saliva-based test to test for cannabis.
Minnesota, known as the North Star State, will debut the pilot project, which is a requirement in their recreational cannabis law that states that although recreational cannabis is now legal, it is still considered illegal to drive while being “high” on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (1,2). This new project will sift through different saliva-based testing devices to see which ones are able to distinguish cannabis use. Minnesota plans to utilize two testing tools which will be administered in 2024 by drug recognition experts.
"These are by far and away the most commonly used [testing] units across the country," said Mike Hanson, director of Minnesota's Office of Traffic Safety (1). "I would expect that by this time next month, the units will be in the field and will be in use."
As the Star Tribune reported (1), other states that have legalized cannabis have used these test methods with their law enforcement to find “probable cause.” In these instances, it is not much different from using a breathalyzer when trying to detect alcohol.
One very important thing to note, however, is that Minnesota law enforcement are not able to operate the saliva-based devices and use those test results as evidence in court or to arrest an individual (1). The Star Tribune mentioned (1) that as listed in the statute, roadside tests may only be used for “the purpose of analyzing the practicality, accuracy, and efficacy of the instrument.”
To launch this program, Minnesota will buy an estimated 100 tests which will cost them around $5000 per test (1). By February 2025, the public safety commissioner will be required to disclose the results from the pilot program to the state’s Legislature.
The state will be utilizing their drug recognition experts (DREs) to spot suspected drivers that might be driving a vehicle while high. Minnesota has more than 300 DREs with plans to increase their numbers before early 2025, when retail cannabis dispensaries are slated to open (1).
"Our goal is to put enough DREs on the road where a street cop, anywhere in the state of Minnesota, within 20 or 30 minutes … can either have a DRE on scene or at the very least have a phone consultation," Hanson explained (1). "We're being very proactive as we come up on legalization and when the dispensaries will actually open."
References
Ep 25: Cannabis Quality Differentiation Beyond Cannabinoid Content
February 28th 2025In this latest installment of Noid Knowledge we are joined by Julie Kowalski, a leading mind in analytical chemistry and cannabis testing. Julie has arranged a very compelling symposium for Pittcon entitled Cannabis Aroma: Advances and Challenges in Determining and Commercializing Cannabis Product Quality Attributes. It is taking place on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, starting at 9:30 AM in room 209. The session features top notch speakers, including several previous guests of this show, and yours truly, discussing the next generation of quality assessment in cannabis.
Ep 24, Part III: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 26th 2024In the final part of this episode, Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn discuss the need for a national entity to centralize cannabis data collection, moving from snapshot data to continuous updates. They emphasize the importance of accurate lab data and adverse event tracking, suggesting QR codes on packaging to report issues. Yasha suggests harsher consequences for result manipulation and suggests collaboration between state departments and federal entities to support underfunded regulators. They also discuss the potential benefits of off-the-shelf testing and the importance of stability testing. Finally, Yasha shares his top three reading recommendations for the audience.