Canadian Cannabis Task Force Cites Impaired Driving as a ‘Serious Issue’ Demanding ‘Immediate Attention’
Ryan Allway
February 24th, 2017
News, Top News
Canada has become the epicenter of the cannabis industry with the country-wide legalization of medical and soon-to-be recreational marijuana. In fact, Deloitte projects that Canadian cannabis and related revenue could eclipse the combined sales of beer, wine and spirits at $22.6 billion per year. Justin Trudeau’s liberal government may be the driver behind these drug laws, but the drug’s legalization has been carefully planned from start to finish.
In December, the Canadian Cannabis Task Force issued its final report that contains more than 80 recommendations for the government to consider when legalizing recreational marijuana. Section 4.5 of the final report describes the controversy surrounding marijuana-impaired driving and the public safety risks. In addition to discussing these risks, the report made several recommendations for addressing the key issue before legalizing the drug.
In this article, we will take a look at the final report and why Cannabix Technologies Inc. (CSE: BLO) (OTC: BLOZF) is well-positioned to capitalize on the recommendations.
Impaired Driving Regulations
Marijuana-impaired driving has become a major concern in countries where the drug has been legalized for medical and/or recreational use. Most scientists agree that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impairs driving ability, but the level of THC in bodily fluids cannot be reliably used to indicate the degree of impairment. Most experts agree that per se limits are appropriate in the case of driving laws despite these uncertainties about actual impairment.
The Canadian Cannabis Task Force made seven specific recommendations to the government to address impaired driving. Many of these recommendations are focused on setting the right limits and training officers to recognize impairment, but others are designed to spur the development of specific technologies. The latter recommendations could create opportunities for companies involved in areas of drug detection and related fields.
In particular, the fifth recommendation issued by the task for reads:
“Support the development of an appropriate roadside drug screening device for detecting THC levels and invest in these tools.”
Several institutions and companies have started developing marijuana breathalyzer concepts, but some companies have come a lot closer than others to developing a commercial product.
Breathalyzer Moves Closer to Reality
Cannabix Technologies is developing a marijuana breathalyzer in conjunction with the Yost Research Group at the University of Florida that leverages mass spectrometry technologies for accurate detection of THC. The company holds an exclusive worldwide license of the University of Florida U.S. Patent 8,237,118 in the area of breath analysis of controlled substances, while leveraging a unique approach to detecting THC in breath samples.
The technology is powered by high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS), which is capable of identifying THC in ultra-low ranges using highly sensitive equipment. Over the past few quarters, Cannabix has significantly reduced the size of its technology so that it can be eventually used by law enforcement to identify impaired drivers at roadside.
Since introducing its second beta version in late-2016, the company announced that it has significantly improved reliability, reduced the size, and made the design more rugged. The team plans to begin pre-trial live subject testing in March, which represents an important precursor to further testing and development. Data from live subjects will provide valuable information to regulatory bodies.
Looking Ahead
Cannabix Technologies Inc. (CSE: BLO) (OTC: BLOZF) is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the impending legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Canada as well as increasing medical and recreational use in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.
For more information, visit the company’s website or CannabisFN’s company profile.
This article was published by CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN), owner and operator of CFN Media, the industry’s leading agency and digital financial media network dedicated to the burgeoning CBD and legal cannabis industries. Call +1 (833) 420-CNFN for more information.
About Ryan Allway
Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.
Search CannabisFN
Press Coverage
Psychedelics Index
Top Videos
Tom Zuber is Zuber Lawler & Del Duca’s Managing Partner. He has a degree with highest honors in biomedical engineering and has advised some of the most iconic companies in the world on their patent and trademark portfolios. He is at the cutting edge of cannabis patent and trademark law. He holds degrees from Harvard University and Columbia Law […]
The producers of O’ Cannabiz have decades of experience producing national-profile events and creating global connections between business communities in the arts, broadcasting, media and technology. They have organized trade summit initiatives with governments around the world. And they have worked closely with sponsors in all levels of Canadian government.
Isodiol produces 99% Pure, Natural, Pharmaceutical Grade CBD. Isodiol and its team of collaborators are a group of companies that together grow, harvest, and process hemp on an industrial scale for the extraction of cannabidiol (CBD) to the highest available purity for worldwide distribution. From the largest source of farmed hemp, to wide-scale extraction and […]
MediPharm is a pioneer in the cannabis industry as it is the first company in Canada to successfully become a Licensed Producer for cannabis oil production without first receiving a cannabis cultivation license.
Network Partners
About CFN Media Group
CFN Enterprises Inc. (OTCQB: CNFN) owns and operates CFN Media Group, the premier agency and financial media network reaching executives, entrepreneurs and consumers worldwide. Through its proprietary content creation, video library, and distribution via www.CannabisFN.com, CFN has built an extensive database of cannabis interest, assisting many of the world’s largest cannabis firms and CBD brands to build awareness and thrive. For more information, please visit www.cfnenterprisesinc.com.
Disclaimer: Matters discussed on this website contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. CFN Media Group, which owns CannabisFN, is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. CFN Media Group, which owns CannabisFN, may from time-to-time have a position in the securities mentioned herein and will increase or decrease such positions without notice. The Information contains forward-looking statements, i.e. statements or discussions that constitute predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, estimates, or projections as indicated by such words as "expects", "will", "anticipates", and "estimates"; therefore, you should proceed with extreme caution in relying upon such statements and conduct a full investigation of the Information and the Profiled Issuer as well as any such forward-looking statements. Any forward looking statements we make in the Information are limited to the time period in which they are made, and we do not undertake to update forward looking statements that may change at any time; The Information is presented only as a brief "snapshot" of the Profiled Issuer and should only be used, at most, and if at all, as a starting point for you to conduct a thorough investigation of the Profiled Issuer and its securities and to consult your financial, legal or other adviser(s) and avail yourself of the filings and information that may be accessed at www.sec.gov, www.pinksheets.com, www.otcmarkets.com or other electronic sources, including: (a) reviewing SEC periodic reports (Forms 10-Q and 10-K), reports of material events (Form 8-K), insider reports (Forms 3, 4, 5 and Schedule 13D); (b) reviewing Information and Disclosure Statements and unaudited financial reports filed with the Pink Sheets or www.otcmarkets.com; (c) obtaining and reviewing publicly available information contained in commonlyknown search engines such as Google; and (d) consulting investment guides at www.sec.gov and www.finra.com. You should always be cognizant that the Profiled Issuers may not be current in their reporting obligations with the SEC and OTCMarkets and/or have negative signs at www.otcmarkets.com (See section below titled "Risks Related to the Profiled Issuers, which provides additional information pertaining thereto). For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice and that of their own professional advisers. CFN Media Group, which owns CannabisFN, may be compensated for its Services in the form of cash-based and/or equity-based compensation in the companies it writes about, or a combination of the two. For full disclosure, please visit: https://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/. A short time after we acquire the securities of the foregoing company, we may publish the (favorable) information about the issuer referenced above advising others, including you, to purchase; and while doing so, we may sell the securities we acquired. In addition, a third-party shareholder compensating us may sell his or her shares of the issuer while we are publishing favorable information about the issuer. Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this article contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. CFN Media Group, which owns CannabisFN, is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority, and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. CFN Media Group, which owns CannabisFN, may from time to time have a position in the securities mentioned herein and will increase or decrease such positions without notice. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice and that of their own professional advisers. CFN Media Group, which owns CannabisFN, may be compensated for its Services in the form of cash-based and/or equity- based compensation in the companies it writes about, or a combination of the two. For full disclosure please visit: https://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/.
Copyright © Accelerize Inc. · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Legal Disclaimer
