Police test new breathalyzer for 'drugged driving'

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11 / AP) - Police in three of California's largest counties are testing what amounts to a breathalyzer for drug users. Some law enforcement agencies hope to see the detection devices in widespread use soon.

Officers and some lawmakers say California urgently needs to adopt the devices since voters in November approved Proposition 64 legalizing recreational pot.

California will become the world's largest cannabis market when legalization takes full effect next year.

They demonstrated one such device outside the state Capitol on Wednesday.

An officer used a cheek swab to collect saliva from a suspect. He then plugged it into a walkie-talkie size device. It shows within five minutes whether any of six drugs are present in the saliva.

The devices have been tested in Kern, Los Angeles and Sacramento counties.

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