Hound Labs Raises $30M To Advance Manufacturing Of First Dual Marijuana, Alcohol Breathalyzer

The first dual alcohol and marijuana breathalyzer manufacturer, Hound Labs Inc., announced Tuesday the closing of a $30-million Series D financing round led by Intrinsic Capital Partners.

NFP Ventures, Main Street Advisors, Icon Ventures and Benchmark were among other investors who supported the funding round. 

The funds will be used to enhance commercial manufacturing and promote general market availability of the Oakland, California-based company's breathalyzer device for marijuana, Hound Labs said in a press release.

The University of California, San Francisco has completed research that confirms that breath is a viable medium for measuring marijuana use within three hours of smoking, according to the company. 

“With the publication of clinical study results validating breath as the new frontier for testing recent use of THC, investors can see the tremendous value that Hound Labs will bring to the market with its first-of-its-kind technology,” Dr. Mike Lynn, CEO and co-founder of Hound Labs, said in a statement.

“We are excited to usher in a new era of more meaningful and fair drug testing now that marijuana is both medically and recreationally available to so many people.”

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The importance of the research lies in the fact that marijuana smokers are usually most affected within three hours after smoking, and estimates suggest that around 14.8 million Americans drive within an hour of consuming.

With existing testing methods, law enforcement agencies are unable to determine if the usage was within the last several hours or the night before, or, in other words, if the tested person used marijuana legally and responsibly or not, according to Hound Labs. 

“Employers throughout the country are seeking practical and effective solutions to balance the new legal paradigms associated with cannabis use while ensuring a safe work environment. Hound Labs has created a marijuana and alcohol breathalyzer that uniquely addresses these concerns and can benefit our clients in a variety of industries — from trucking and construction to logistics and retail, “ Shawn Ellis, managing director at NFP Ventures, said in a statement. 

Hound Labs is taking the next step in its commercial production to meet the ever growing needs for its product from law enforcement, insurance groups and employers, the company said.

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