Are edibles detectable by roadside saliva tests?

west-elec

Well-Known Member
In Australia it is illegal to operate a vehicle with an illicit substance in your system. They claim the saliva fluid test strips they use can detect traces of drugs taken up to 48 hours before.
So a responsible person who abstain all week, has a quiet smoke Saturday night, can get pinged for drug driving on Monday, even though sober for nearly 2 days. Especially cruel if you have an accident- no insurance and a trip to the magistrate for loss of licence and fines (or jail if you have enough priors). Totally unfair law that takes no regard to actual sobriety or risk.
I recently read that saliva testing may not be able to detect 11-hydrogy-THC that is produced by the liver when edibles are taken, opposed to Delta-9-THC that they are testing for.
I was thinking edibles might be safe to have on weekends and not risk a Monday bust. Any have the inside scoop on that? Are there different types of tests being used around the world?
How is this being handled in legal areas? How do medical patients drive a car if continual medication is prescribed?
 

Tranquility

Well-Known Member
I believe the main saliva test is for THC (Delta 9) in the mouth. And, while it will reduce over time (just like metabolization), it seems the current theory is to consider it simply as pollution in the mouth. That is, THC will be deposited when you inhale on all surrounding surfaces and that will slowly extinguish over time. (Or, through other cleansing-type measures.) An edible, if you're not careful, can also deposit THC in the mouth/throat that can be read by the tests.

So, to the specific question of if edibles are detectable, the answer is "yes".

But, the REAL question is, if you have a clean mouth/throat/sinus, would a blood THC level be detectible in the saliva? There the answer seems to be "no". Saliva does not seem to increase in THC from blood levels of THC.
 

justcametomind

Well-Known Member
I doubt that Thc gets detected after up to 48hours only because it is deposited while inhaling. After inhaling 2 days prior the test the person would have eaten up to 6/10 times, drank plenty of water, washed his/her teeth up to 6/10 times. If it’s just traces from smoke or vapor (or by chewing an edible 2 days before) those would be washed away (by saliva itself other than the aforementioned activities) in 2 days imho.
Google doesn’t seem to help.
GIF by Cocoon Central Dance Team
 
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