SCIENCE
Breath Tests and Cannabis Edibles: What's the Deal?
Thu Jul 10 2025
Breath tests for cannabis are not new, but they usually focus on smoking. Now, researchers wanted to see if these tests could also detect THC from edibles. They had people eat cannabis-infused treats and then tested their breath at different times.
Before eating the edibles, some participants already had THC in their breath. After eating, THC levels changed in different ways. Some people had the highest THC levels at different times, while others had no big changes. This shows that everyone's body processes cannabis differently.
The study also found other cannabinoids in breath, like CBD. For some people, CBD levels followed THC levels, but for others, they didn't. This suggests that the body might process CBD from edibles in its own way.
This study is just a starting point. It shows that THC from edibles can be detected in breath, but the results are not always clear. More research is needed to understand how reliable these tests are and how long after eating edibles THC can be detected.
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questions
How might the detection of multiple cannabinoids in breath impact the development of accurate and reliable breath testing methods for cannabis use?
Could breath tests for THC become the new 'breathalyzer' for pot parties, and will we need to carry mints that say 'THC-free'?
What additional research is needed to understand the biological processing of cannabinoids from edibles and how it differs from other consumption methods?
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