Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

Proofs of Alcohol

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Drugs

A drug is any substance other than food that changes the way your body or mind functions.

Legality

If you are under 21, it's illegal for you to buy alcohol in the United States. Every state now has a law that makes it illegal for people who have 0.08 percent or above BAC to operate a car or other motor vehicle. This is known as driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated/impaired (DWI). Officers don't have to observe or provide evidence of impaired driving; they only need the evidence of the driver's blood alcohol concentration. In many states, there is zero tolerance (no tolerance at all) for any alcohol use by drivers under the age of 21. In these states, a driver younger than 21 is guilty of DUI if his or her BAC is 0.02 percent or more. If a teenage driver is convicted of DUI, his or her driver's license is suspended. Teens can be fined and jailed for driving under the influence, and teens who drive while intoxicated may have their cars taken away permanently by law authorities.

Factors That Influence BAC

Number of drinks: The more a person drinks, the higher the BAC. How fast a person drinks: Drinking quickly raises BAC. A BAC of 0.37 percent to 0.40 percent or higher can cause death. Type of alcohol: Higher alcohol concentration in the drink speeds up the process of alcohol absorption in the body. Type of mixer: Water and fruit juices mixed with alcohol slow the process, while carbonated beverages mixed with alcohol speed up the absorption process. Size and gender: BAC rises faster in females, in smaller people, or in people who are underweight. Food in the stomach: BAC increases more slowly in a person with a full stomach because alcohol is absorbed (soaked up) less quickly when there is food in the stomach. Other drugs in the body: Other drugs can increase the effects of alcohol. Mood: Feeling depressed can increase the effects of alcohol.

Blood Alcohol Content

You may have heard the term blood alcohol concentration (BAC). It is a measure of the amount of alcohol in a person's blood. This measure is usually given as a percentage. In all states if someone has a BAC of 0.08 percent or more, that person is considered legally intoxicated. (That's less than one-tenth of 1 percent.) A BAC of 0.08 percent does not mean that almost one-tenth of the person's blood is alcohol. It means that the person has 8 drops of pure alcohol in his or her bloodstream for every 10,000 drops of blood. In other words, it doesn't take much alcohol to make a person legally intoxicated.