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SCI 100 Topic Exploration Graphic Organizer
Link to article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170706113152.htm
Topic (Describe the topic discussed in your news story, providing details about the background of the topic.)
Legalization of marijuana has been approved in at least 28 states. Scientist have been working on creating a breathalyzer but the delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana, is a large molecule with a complex structure. Testing a person breath for marijuana is more complicated than testing for alcohol.
Main Idea (Identify the main idea or thesis in the news story you selected.)
Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a large molecule that scientist have been having a hard time measuring the vapor pressure. Vapor pressure measurements for THC will help ensure that marijuana breathalyzers are calibrated to a consistent standard.
Supporting Evidence (Describe the evidence that supports the main idea or thesis of your news story.)
Very low vapor pressure so low that you can't measure it the usual way, which would involve putting THC in a closed container and waiting for the pressure to equalize.
Researchers are using PLOT-cryo to capture and analyze even the relatively few molecules of THC that escape into the vapor phase.
Getting proper measurements for THC will ensure that everyone is not driving under the influence.
Questions (Your questions should be based on the main idea and supporting evidence that you identified.)
Will medical patients be exempted from the breathalyzer?
Medical patients will be exempted from breathanalyzer because marijuana is legal in at least 28 states of America. This will give exemption to the patients because they are not using it for recreational purpose. It is important to consider that patients using marijuana are different from ordinary people. This is because medicine has proved that marijuana offers some benefits such as relief from intense pain. Legalizing cannabis for the medical purpose can provide relief to people against severe pain. However, the use of cannabis for recreational purpose encourage the state to make it illegal. The US Drug Enforcement Agency recognize cannabis as a schedule I controlled substance due to the high potentiality of abuse. Illegalization is not an appropriate solution as its use in medical vicinity could be of great value for the patients. As marijuana offer numerous benefits it is possible to exclude them from breathanalyer. The evidence depicts that marijuana is effective for the management of chronic pain, muscle spasm resulting from multiple sclerosis and paraplegia. For treatment against post-traumatic stress disorder, seizures and glaucoma. Using breathanalyzer on patients will pose challenges for the care providers. This will undermine the use of drugs for the patient's benefit. However, the policy changes according to states. Some states don't exclude patients from breath analyzer tests.
If determined they’re impaired will their medical card be revoked?
If determined that the patients are impaired their medical card can be revoked. Medical marijuana does not legitimize impairment. The patients who are prescribed marijuana must carry doctors prescriptions. This reflects that breaking law will cause revocation of the medical card. The patient can use the card if he/she fulfils responsibilities. However, their inability to fulfil duty or beach will cause revocation of the card. The caregiver or the patient is not allowed to violate the regulations of the act. The card does not make impaired driving legal. This indicates that the patients who hold cards are not permitted to the driver when they have taken marijuana. If the patient holding medical card is caught driving under the influence of drug the state has the right of revoking the card. It does not give an exception for violating the rules and regulations. The regulations of the medical card state that the patients of marijuana must not
Drive vehicles when they are under the influence of the drug. As the purpose of the medical card is to ensure the safety of the patients it does not support the impairment of the patient. The evidence suggests that consumption of marijuana causes impairment of mental functions and undermines cognitive thinking. Consumption of cannabis deteriorates patient’s ability to concentrate or focusing on things. It is thus stated in the regulations that marijuana patients must not engage in driving. If patients break laws their medical card will be suspended irrespective of their impairment.
Will the different strains of marijuana affect the breathalyzer?
Testing marijuana is difficult because the substance excretes in the body immediately. Calibration of the marijuana breathalyzer depends on the accurate vapour pressure that is difficult to maintain.
Creating a breathanalyzer involve scientific complications because the psychoactive component THC becomes inconsistent and has unpredictable cognitive impacts on the patients. It is only possible to estimate the accurate THC blood levels within six hours of marijuana consumption. Evidence suggests that the best time for estimating marijuana is 1.4 to 4 hours. After this interval the accuracy of the results in extremely doubtful. It is also difficult to calculate the right amount because the body does not metabolize all consumed THC. The patients that rely more on cannabis develops THC tolerance from low-level exposure. This eliminates the possibilities of getting the right estimations. The identified factors make estimation difficult that reveals that ineffectiveness of breath analyzer CITATION NIS17 \l 1033 (NIST, 2017).
Information (Identify the types of sources that you could use to find more information about the topic discussed in your news story and the questions you posed.)
I would want to search on medical sites to see if I can find similar topics of any advancement of creating the marijuana breathalyzer. I would also look into cannabis websites that has more information that I am looking for.
Reference
BIBLIOGRAPHY NIST. (2017). Scientists lay the groundwork for a reliable marijuana breathalyzer. Retrieved 03 24, 2019, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170706113152.htm
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