House Bill 230 is now on its way to the Ohio Senate, and lawmakers should give careful consideration to the measure, which would, among other things, authorize law enforcement to collect saliva from those suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. The saliva would be used in a rapid test that would help an officer determine next steps — similar to the manner in which a Breathalyzer is used for checking blood alcohol levels.

“They can do a swab of your mouth, test your saliva, and get an immediate result to know if you’re under the influence of drugs or not,” said state Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Dayton, according to News 5 Cleveland. “So, this is a game changer. It’s no longer having to take blood or urine and take it to the crime lab and wait months for the results. This is an immediate test.”

Cuyahoga County Sheriff Harold Pretel told the news outlet the new testing method would have multiple benefits.

“One, it would clarify things early on,” he said. “It would expedite the investigative process. It would save time on the side of the highway, which is imperative for safety, and it would allow us to pick the right course of action. I don’t know how accurate it would be, but it would be a precursor to some other action.”

There are, of course, concerns about how departments would afford this new testing method — and lawmakers must consider that, too.

But with legal recreational marijuana soon to be sold at Ohio dispensaries, it is imperative law enforcement be given some tool to deal with the inevitable addition of drug-related OVIs to those related to alcohol.

According to News 5 Cleveland, Gov. Mike DeWine said he supports the bill. Here’s hoping state senators do not make him wait long for the chance to sign it.