This is a topic that I've been passionate ever since I was first exposed to it through Teen Court. There are so many aspects to the issue that many people simply ignore or don't realize.
One fact is that marijuana, although it is not harmful to adults, it can still cause permanent damage to minors. Yet, in reality, this group makes up one of the greatest majorities of marijuana users currently.
This is what I want to focus on for now. If the youth, my generation, the future generation has a large percentage of people dependent on marijuana, then that is we should start fixing the problem. One of the big issues now is the fact that it is tough to figure out whether your kid is smoking marijuana. Although there are subtle clues, there is no objective test that is inconspicuous, and no kid wants to get their urine tested by their parents.
If there was a gas based test that identified THC in the air, it would be possible to signal areas where marijunana is being smoked, because THC is a cannabinoid(it is chemically unique to marijuana) This product would be useful because it can help employers and parents know if their employees/children are smoking marijuana. It could be put in cars or offices about the size of a clip on febreeze air freshener. It could also be placed in public places that don't want people smoking.
This THC sensor is especially useful now because marijuana is becoming more and more prominent in daily life. Currently, legalization is one of the most controversial issues, and a product like this is necessary to adapt to a world where weed is readily available.
I hope to begin working on this project, and hopefully provide it for free to concerned parents and repeat offenders on probation to assist police. The product will work similar to a cigarette smoke detector in airplanes and will be just as useful one day.
