OHIO — The Ohio State Highway Patrol launched a pilot program for an oral marijuana test to help get impaired drivers off the road.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30, troopers will swab for oral fluid during traffic stops or at crash scenes if they believe a driver is impaired.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Regional airline plans over 200 layoffs at Dayton International Airport
- Gun with illegal ‘Glock switch’ found at Springfield school; 2 teens facing charges
The state patrol announced the program in August 2024.
News Center 7 talked to OSHP Office of Field Operations Captain Christopher Kinn about the program.
“What will show up in the oral fluid is whatever is active in somebody’s bloodstream,” Kinn said.
News Center 7 asked if someone would test positive if they smoked marijuana the day before.
“Whatever’s active in our bloodstream will translate to our oral fluid. So it’s what’s active in that person’s system,” Kinn said.
Tipp City resident Jane Bohman said she is unsure about this program.
“Think it will create so many constitutional challenges. There has to be a better, more tailored way to manage that,” Bohman said.
She used to be a former lawyer and said this could get ugly quickly.
“I want to get people who are impaired off the roads, but to look for any other drug without a warrant or probable cause would seem to be a violation of the Fourth Amendment,” Bohman said. “You might turn down the test, but then I think you automatically lose your right to drive.”
Kinn said that is exactly what would happen, but reiterated that the program is still in the testing stages.
Bohman said it could make smokers think twice before driving.
“If somebody were to pull me over tonight… I would be completely flummoxed as to what to do because I hadn’t even heard about this,” she said.
OSHP said the program will be in its pilot phase until August 2025. They hope to fully implement the program throughout the state by the end of 2025.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
