Marijuana breathalyzer test may be coming soon

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CALIFORNIA (FOX 32 News) - A breathalyzer test for those under the influence of marijuana while driving may soon be a reality, according to a report.

Oakland, California-based Hound Labs Inc. announced this week that the new breathalyzer will begin clinical trials in early 2016.

"The idea is that law enforcement will have one device out on the road to test for both THC [a marijuana component] and alcohol," Hound Labs CEO and founder Dr. Mike Lynn told WVLT.

The new device will be tested in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Lynn hopes it will eventually be used across the country, WVLT reports. The device may also cost upwards to $1000.

As more states legalize pot, WVLT reports that studies have found young people are driving high more than drunk.

"When I started the company, it was my intention of finding a way to measure this stuff in breath. Every single death or injury from an impaired driver is preventable and there aren't many things in life like that that are preventable," Lynn told WVLT.

Hound Labs collaborated with scientists at UC Berkeley to develop the technology.

Read More @ WVLT-TV