It’s that time of year again! Thanksgiving is a time to step back, reflect on what we are thankful for and count our blessings.
(And count the number of days left that all of the relatives will be in town….). All kidding aside: although they may occasionally drive us mad, bringing together all the friends and family to celebrate this holiday is a wonderful feeling, and something to really celebrate. Although managing to find enough chairs and settings to accommodate everybody can be a monumental achievement!
As we carefully select clothing with the most amount of stretchiness for today, look back to what we discussed in last year’s post about the effects of food consumption on alcohol absorption. On an empty stomach, that glass (fine, two glasses) of wine will typically take about two hours to be fully absorbed and eliminated from your body (approximately one hour per drink). But on a holiday where an empty stomach may as well be a crime, that wine will take significantly longer to be eliminated. After the fourth course, that drink you had with the first course may still be in your body. This may put your blood alcohol content at a higher level than you would typically expect, making the drive home much more risky. Police will be out and about setting up DUI checkpoints for these reasons.
But there are other factors that might also put you in danger of getting a DUI. One surprising example is having certain types or symptoms of diabetes. In a recent article published by the National College of DUI Defense, studies found that certain breath compounds produced by individuals with diabetes are discussed. Specifically, the article found: “Diabetics naturally produce another type of alcohol – isopropanol – in certain stages of the disease.” This compound is not always distinguished from ethanol, and may actually produce false or misleading BAC results. Unfortunately, this scientific finding is more commonly overlooked than properly recognized as a legitimate concern.
Diabetes can also cause your body to produce excess acetone, released through the breath. This and other factors, like acid reflux, have the potential to affect a BAC test result, with serious consequences. If you happen to get a DUI, make sure that your attorney knows about your condition (which may affect your reading), and how to scientifically assess the effects in a constructive manner.
So this Thanksgiving, keep an eye out for friends, relatives, and other guests celebrating this holiday with you. Make sure that everybody has a plan for getting home safely, and be ready to call a cab for somebody who may not be okay to drive. After all, nothing would ‘foul’ up your holiday quite like getting a DUI, not even sleeping through dessert!