Drugwipe test

The DrugWipe is a test used to wipe surfaces for traces of drug residue. It may also be used for sweat or saliva testing of individuals. Law enforcement at the roadside can quickly screen suspected drivers of being under the influence of an illegal drug by usingn the DrugWipe. DrugWipe was named a finalist in the 2011 Cygnus Law Enforcement Group Innovation Awards competition. The DrugWipe 6s (saliva only) test was entered under the category of 'Traffic Enforcement'. The DrugWipe is a test used to wipe surfaces for traces of drug residue. It may also be used for sweat or saliva testing of individuals. Law enforcement at the roadside can quickly screen suspected drivers of being under the influence of an illegal drug by usingn the DrugWipe. DrugWipe was named a finalist in the 2011 Cygnus Law Enforcement Group Innovation Awards competition. The DrugWipe 6s (saliva only) test was entered under the category of 'Traffic Enforcement'. The test is accomplished by wiping a small moist wiping fleece on a surface, or on the forehead, palm, or tongue of an individual. An integrated ampule is then broken which acts as the medium for transporting the collected analyte to the antigen binding site. The DrugWipe can be configured to detect cannabis, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, MDMA, and benzodiazepines. Immunoassay strips containing antibodies bind to components of the different drugs. A number of independent studies examine the efficacy of the DrugWipe, particularly for its lack of sensitivity for detecting Cannabis (delta-9-thc) which the Australian National Health Survey 2009 listed as the most frequently used illicit drug at 10.4% with 36% smoking at least once a week or more in 2016. Independent field testing of the DrugWipe in Finland recorded a high rate of false negatives, particularly for Cannabis, this is where a person tests negative however had recently used 14.4%. including sensitivity of less than 50%. According to statistics by the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland, of positive results for cannabis, cocaine and opioids, two-thirds were false when comparing against blood samples. As positive test results have been used as sufficient grounds for a ban on driving, the Finnish Parliamentary Ombudsman issued a statement condemning the practice. THC in saliva is said to be an index of recent cannabis smoking and closely linked to the effects of intoxication however in another study, volunteers were recruited to consume cannabis and subsequent levels of THC taken from saliva. The amounts detected were only above the level of the DrugWipe at 10 ng/ml for 70 minutes with volunteers reporting feeling intoxicated for a further 2 hours. As this 1999 DEA Bulletin shows, Drugwipe is still effective when testing 'Black Cocaine' even when chemical tests fail to detect.