Smartphone Sensor Data Could Detect Cannabis Intoxication
In the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, a recent study is showing exceptional good news for professionals in psychiatry, health and law enforcement fields. Based on the latest promising results, smartphones can now be used to detect cannabis intoxication levels.
According to studies conducted by Rutgers Institute for Health, this newly developed technology can be used with a precision of 90% accuracy to confirm if an individual is intoxicated due to the cannabis plant. With features that function similar to GPS software applications, the sensors in a smartphone can be utilized as a very effective tool in reducing cases of cannabis harm.
This is mainly because these sensors provide real-time data to assist in identifying these problems before any adverse related cannabis situations occur.
Smartphone Sensor Data and Repurposing
Due to the legalization of marijuana in many states today, there is an immediate need for accurate testing of cannabis intoxication. Presently, over 50 states in the U. S. have passed some form of medical cannabis laws, and they usually vary from state to state. For instance, 19 states in the U.S. have passed laws that address the adult use of cannabis. And, there are many factors that impact the regulations that are now in place. One of the most notable involves the factors that determine the level of intoxication that an individual is affected by. Here are some of the primary factors that affect the use of an individual.
- Age
- Weight
- Tolerance to the plant
- Biochemistry
- Age
Because an accurate level of cannabis intoxication is essential to projecting endangering lives on the road and the productivity and safety in the workplace, the results must be faultless and within a small margin of error. This is also one of the reasons why smartphone sensor data is being integrated with a wide variety of features, including those that will monitor both the time of day and the time of the week. With that being said, here are some key elements of the studies that were done.
Adults participating in the studies used cannabis at the minimum of twice a week
Incidents of use was collected via self- reported cases, telephone surveys and phone sensor data
Researches review the data to determine which types of info was the most useful
Travel patterns and motion detecting movement data from GPS systems were considered to be the most vital.
When is Cannabis Intoxication too Dangerous to Drive?
On its own, cannabis intoxication is not considered to be dangerous for that particular individual. However, when someone is intoxicated, there can be serious consequences while operating a vehicle. For instance, when the level of cannibals intoxication is too high, the following issues can occur.
- Slow reaction times
- Negatively affect normal coordination
- Drivers have a difficult time with reacting to unexpected events that pop up on the road
It is also important to note that studies, however, show that there is notable difference between cannabis intoxication and alcohol intoxication. In this scenario, alcohol intoxication is considered to be vastly different in potential harm and damages that can occur. For instance, here are some key things that studies on alcohol and cannabis intoxication comparisons uncover.
Cannabis Intoxication Levels and Safety
- Cannabis intoxication is less likely to show a slow down in driving responses
- Cannabis intoxication is usually not adversely impacted by events of paranoia.
- Cannabis levels remain in the blood for weeks. So, it is difficult to determine current impairment.
- Level of content and impairment have yet to be accurately determined
- Lack of uniformity in cannabis products lead to varying intolerance levels for individuals
Alcohol Intoxication Levels and Safety
Alcohol intoxication in an individual is much more likely to ignite aggressive behavior, while cannabis intoxication is considered to be less likely for an individual to experience these issues.
Drunk drivers poses a much higher threat to society than cannabis intoxication drivers
Alcohol content easier to identify in the blood and can be checked accurately with a breathalyzer
As you can see, identifying the level of impairment in cannabis intoxication can be very confusing. For instance, in studies reported by the NHTSA, cannabis consumption does not cause significant driving impairment. In some cases, the results of these tests were essentially compromised by individuals who had both alcohol and cannabis in their systems.
Conclusion
Cannabis intoxication and the ability to determine its level accurately is considered to be in its infancy stages. This is why the current studies on smart phone sensor data is good news for today's health professionals, law enforcement agencies and psychiatrists.
Also, since the jury is still out on how to determine the accuracy of cannabis intoxication levels for all individuals, it is important that cannabis users are cautious in their everyday activities. This message is especially crafted for cannabis users who may consider getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after cannabis consumption. Or, consider going to work with others after consuming cannabis. In fact, until more data has been collected on the accurate levels of cannabis intoxication and the smartphone sensors are perfected, cannabis users need to think about safe practices in every situation.
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