A system for collecting cannabis and the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol from a sample of exhaled breath is disclosed. Single or multiple exhaled breaths are conditioned by removing contaminants, and regulating flow rate and/or pressure to collect a sample of tetrahydrocannabinol for timely local or remote analysis. The cannabis detection system comprises a containment trap for removing interfering materials from the breath of the subject and a collection component for sampling components of breath introduced into the system through the containment trap for analysis to determine a presence of THC in the breath.
Claim CLM-00001. 1. A single-device cannabis detection system for detecting THC in a breath of a subject, comprising:
a housing defining the single-device cannabis detection system; a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the housing for facilitating introduction of the breath into the system by the subject; a containment trap associated with the housing for removing interfering materials including oral fluids from the breath of the subject; a non-rebreather valve positioned downstream of the mouthpiece and upstream of the containment trap, the non-rebreather valve in fluid communication with the mouthpiece, the containment trap and ambient air, the non-rebreather valve operative to direct ambient air entering the non-rebreather valve upstream through the mouthpiece without flowing through the containment trap when the subject inhales through the mouthpiece and to direct the breath of the subject downstream to the containment trap when the subject exhales through the mouthpiece; and a collection component within the housing positioned downstream of the containment trap for sampling components of breath introduced into the system through the containment trap for analysis to determine a presence of THC in the breath.
Claim CLM-00011. 11. A method of detecting cannabis use by analyzing a breath of a subject using a single-device cannabis detection system having a housing, the method comprising the steps of:
introducing the breath into the system through a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the housing; providing a non-rebreather valve located downstream of the mouthpiece and upstream of a containment trap associated with the housing to allow the subject to inhale and exhale through the mouthpiece while introducing breath into the system; removing contaminant material from the breath using the containment trap associated with the housing, the contaminant material including oral fluids, the non-rebreather valve in fluid communication with the mouthpiece, the containment trap and ambient air, the non-rebreather valve operative to direct ambient air entering the non-rebreather valve upstream through the mouthpiece without flowing through the containment trap when the subject inhales through the mouthpiece and to direct the breath of the subject downstream to the containment trap when the subject exhales through the mouthpiece; collecting with a collection component positioned within the housing downstream of the containment trap a sample of at least one component of the breath of the subject after the contaminant material has been removed therefrom; and analyzing the sample for the presence of THC.
Claim CLM-00015. 15. A single-device cannabis detection system for detecting THC in a breath of a subject, comprising:
a housing defining the single-device cannabis detection system; a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the housing for facilitating introduction of the breath into the system by the subject; a containment trap associated with the housing and positioned downstream of the mouthpiece for removing interfering materials including oral fluids from the breath of the subject introduced into the system; a non-rebreather valve positioned downstream of the mouthpiece and upstream of the containment trap, the non-rebreather valve in fluid communication with the mouthpiece, the containment trap and ambient air, the non-rebreather valve operative to direct ambient air entering the non-rebreather valve upstream through the mouthpiece without flowing through the containment trap when the subject inhales through the mouthpiece and to direct the breath of the subject downstream to the containment trap when the subject exhales through the mouthpiece; a flow measurement device associated with the housing and positioned downstream of the mouthpiece for measuring a volumetric amount of breath introduced into the system by the subject; a collection component within the housing for sampling components of breath introduced into the system through the containment trap for analysis to determine a presence of THC in the breath; and a pressure regulator for regulating the pressure of the breath introduced into the system, the pressure regulator being positioned upstream of the collection component and configured to supply the breath to the collection component.
