Forum: Test kits and tools can help resolve smoking disputes

I was heartened to read the story “New saliva test kit can detect drug abuse in 10 minutes” (Feb 28), and that such kits are already used in Singapore. If the saliva test kit can detect drugs, it can detect nicotine as well.

Resolving residential smoking disputes has always been a challenge due to privacy issues and technological limitations in gathering evidence.

The saliva test kit, when used together with other tools, can help to resolve this long-standing challenge. 

One of the tools is a pulse oximeter, which is a device like the one used during the Covid-19 period to detect the oxygen level in one’s blood stream. It can also detect carbon monoxide levels in smokers, which is normally higher than non-smokers. The pulse oximeter is a quick and easy way to identify who is smoking in the offending unit.

There is also the smokerlyzer, a hand-held carbon monoxide monitor to measure the level of carbon monoxide in the body via a breath test. It can help to identify who has just smoked.

Such compact tools can aid enforcement officers in their search and investigation protocol when they receive complaints.

Chong Ling Eng

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