San Diego drivers may soon hear something new from police during traffic stops that may feel like stepping into a sci-fi movie. Instead of just checking your license and registration, officers now have a pocket-sized gadget that can screen at the curb for drug use. It’s a development that has sparked curiosity and sparked conversation in this coastal town.
According to multiple media outlets, including CBS 8, the San Diego Police Department has begun using a new handheld drug testing unit called the SoToxa Oral Fluid Mobile Test System. This tool detects active ingredients from substances such as cannabis, methamphetamine, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines and benzodiazepines. Within minutes the device can tell an officer if any of these substances are present.
voluntary swab
Imagine being pulled over on a clear California night and instead of the traditional walk-a-straight-line or stand-on-one-foot field sobriety test, you’re given a swab to swipe inside your mouth. That’s part of the San Diego experience now, but there’s a twist that keeps things a legal reality. Testing is completely voluntary. Drivers are free to refuse it and there are no immediate penalties for refusal.
Image credit: CBS 8 San Diego/YouTube.
Police say the device is not meant as a punishment stick but rather a way to help keep impaired drivers off the road and prevent catastrophic accidents. Officers trained as Drug Recognition Specialists (also known as DREs) are prescribed these devices after completing special training to detect signs of impairment. These experts combine what they see at the roadside with the device’s rapid screening results to build a solid picture of a driver’s condition.
The SoToxa system rollout comes with some strategic support. The department acquired five of these units with the help of state grants that were partially funded by taxes on legal cannabis sales. That connection nicely highlights how changes in cannabis laws across the state have forced police and lawmakers to rethink how drug-impaired driving is viewed and handled.
A positive test is just the beginning
Just a few years ago, law enforcement across the country struggled to spot stoned drivers. Alcohol had breathalyzers that could give an accurate number of blood alcohol content in seconds. Drugs, by contrast, lacked such a simple metric. In one well-documented case, a driver in San Diego openly admitted to having recently consumed marijuana, but passed all sobriety tests and walked free because there was no reliable roadside technology to detect impairment.
While the new saliva test gives a quick “positive” or “negative” for the presence of the drug, it’s not the final word. If the driver tests positive, that result becomes probable cause for the police to request a blood sample. Blood tests remain the gold standard for court evidence and contain the most reliable data to determine what substances are in a driver’s system and at what levels.
The approach here is very layered. Authorities still rely on traditional methods such as field sobriety exercises and careful observation before offering a saliva test. The result of the tool is an initial snapshot that helps guide next steps rather than a standalone arresting tool.
Public reaction on social platforms, especially Reddit, has been lively. Many drivers welcome the idea of devices that can more accurately detect dangerous drivers. Others caution that the tests are imperfect and could flag prescription drugs or other innocuous substances, stressing that the accuracy of roadside drug tests is a complex scientific and legal question. These discussions show that even within local communities, people have mixed feelings as they try to balance security and rights.
The San Diego Police Department says it wants drivers to be informed and responsible. As with any new technology there is an adjustment period where police, courts and the public learn together how it works and what it does best. For now, drink or use drugs and drive at your own risk, because San Diego now has a tool under its belt to help spot problems before tragedy strikes.
