Page 45 - Sept Oct Issue
P. 45
A Close Look into an Amazing Career: A Noteworthy Interview with Jim Wigmore
Photo Courtesy of Jim Wigmore
EIJ: Please tell us about the Breath Test and how important it is to capture blood alcohol levels in intoxicated
individuals? What is considered over the limit for blood alcohol levels?
Jim Wigmore: Over 90% of the alcohol analyses on drinking drivers in Canada and in many other countries
are by breath alcohol testing by the police. It is very important for the enforcement of drinking driving laws
as breath alcohol testing is rapid, and non- invasive (in contrast to blood samples) and provide an objective
measure of the effects of alcohol on the person’s driving ability.
The units for BAC in Canada is slightly different from the US. Up here the BAC is measured in milligrams of
alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (mg/100mL), whereas in the US it is measured in grams of alcohol in 100
millilitres of blood (g/100mL). But you just have to divide the Canadian units by 1000 to obtain the American
units. Hence in Canada the criminal code limit is 80 mg/100mL which converts into the .08 limit in America.
Each province (similar to US states) have other lower BAC limits as well. In he province of Ontario a
graduated license driver cannot have a BAC over only 10 mg/100mL (0.010 g/100mL) and regular drivers are
suspended for 3 days if they have a BAC over 50 mg/100mL (0.050 g/100mL). At BACs the more serious
criminal code penalties apply at BACs greater than 80 mg/100mL
EIJ: Ladybug Teknologies provides consumer breath alcohol screening solutions; they also developed a mobile
app, a handheld breathalyzer for personal use. Please tell me about your work at Ladybug Teknologies. What
were your responsibilities at this company?
Jim Wigmore: I was a scientiic advisor to the company. They wanted to use my expertise to assist them in
marketing reliable, scientiic valid breath testing instruments to the public. They also assisted in the publication
of my irst book.
EIJ: Please tell me about your work as a Scientiic Advisor at the Recovery Science Corporation- Alcohol
Monitoring Technology and Intensive Supervision Programs.
Jim Wigmore: This company markets the SCRAM monitoring device to determine alcohol concentrations of
individuals who are under house arrest or orders from the court to abstain from alcohol consumption. It usually
involves the attachment of an anklet which contains a small alcohol monitoring device which can determine the
45
Photo Courtesy of Jim Wigmore
EIJ: Please tell us about the Breath Test and how important it is to capture blood alcohol levels in intoxicated
individuals? What is considered over the limit for blood alcohol levels?
Jim Wigmore: Over 90% of the alcohol analyses on drinking drivers in Canada and in many other countries
are by breath alcohol testing by the police. It is very important for the enforcement of drinking driving laws
as breath alcohol testing is rapid, and non- invasive (in contrast to blood samples) and provide an objective
measure of the effects of alcohol on the person’s driving ability.
The units for BAC in Canada is slightly different from the US. Up here the BAC is measured in milligrams of
alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (mg/100mL), whereas in the US it is measured in grams of alcohol in 100
millilitres of blood (g/100mL). But you just have to divide the Canadian units by 1000 to obtain the American
units. Hence in Canada the criminal code limit is 80 mg/100mL which converts into the .08 limit in America.
Each province (similar to US states) have other lower BAC limits as well. In he province of Ontario a
graduated license driver cannot have a BAC over only 10 mg/100mL (0.010 g/100mL) and regular drivers are
suspended for 3 days if they have a BAC over 50 mg/100mL (0.050 g/100mL). At BACs the more serious
criminal code penalties apply at BACs greater than 80 mg/100mL
EIJ: Ladybug Teknologies provides consumer breath alcohol screening solutions; they also developed a mobile
app, a handheld breathalyzer for personal use. Please tell me about your work at Ladybug Teknologies. What
were your responsibilities at this company?
Jim Wigmore: I was a scientiic advisor to the company. They wanted to use my expertise to assist them in
marketing reliable, scientiic valid breath testing instruments to the public. They also assisted in the publication
of my irst book.
EIJ: Please tell me about your work as a Scientiic Advisor at the Recovery Science Corporation- Alcohol
Monitoring Technology and Intensive Supervision Programs.
Jim Wigmore: This company markets the SCRAM monitoring device to determine alcohol concentrations of
individuals who are under house arrest or orders from the court to abstain from alcohol consumption. It usually
involves the attachment of an anklet which contains a small alcohol monitoring device which can determine the
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