According to a new study, a smartphone sensor similar to that used in GPS systems could be used to assess whether or not someone is inebriated after eating marijuana.
A combination of time characteristics (monitoring the time of day and day of the week) and smartphone sensor data showed a 90% accuracy rate in the study, which investigated the feasibility of using smartphone sensor data to identify episodes of cannabis intoxication in the natural environment.
“We might be able to detect when a person is suffering cannabis intoxication and give a quick intervention when and where it might have the most impact to prevent cannabis-related harm using the sensors in a person’s phone,” said Rutgers University researcher Tammy Chung.
The researchers looked at daily data from young adults who said they used cannabis at least twice a week for the study, which was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
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They looked at phone surveys, self-reported cannabis use, and continuous phone sensor data to see how important time of day and week are in identifying usage, as well as which phone sensors are most useful.
They discovered that time of day and day of the week were both 60% accurate in detecting self-reported cannabis intoxication, and a combination of time characteristics and smartphone sensor data was 90% accurate in detecting cannabis intoxication.
Intoxication with cannabis has been linked to decreased response times, which can influence performance at work or school, as well as altering driving behaviour, which can lead to injuries or fatalities.
Existing screening methods, such as blood, urine, and saliva tests, have limitations as indications of cannabis intoxication and impairment in daily life.
The proof-of-concept study used “low burden methods” to detect cannabis intoxication in daily life, such as tracking time of day and day of the week and analysing phone sensor data, and “found that the feasibility of using phone sensors to detect subjective intoxication from cannabis consumption is strong.” The concept’s practical implications could be utilised to protect people from some of the hazards connected with cannabis usage.
“Adverse effects of acute cannabis intoxication have been documented by young people, with associated repercussions such as poor academic and work performance, as well as injuries and fatalities from driving while ‘high’ on cannabis,” the study’s authors said.
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