Most urban legends are harmless, like believing Bill Gates will send you money if you forward an e-mail. Others, like myths surrounding alcohol, can be dangerous and believing them could be deadly. Myth: Beer doesn't have as much alcohol as hard liquor.
False: A standard, 12-ounce bottle of beer has the same amount of alcohol as 5 ounces of wine or a shot of 80-proof liquor (either straight up or in a mixed drink). Sticking to beer won't keep you sober.
Myth: Coffee and cold showers help sober you up.
False: There is no quick way to get sober. No amount of brisk exercise, coffee or icy showers will speed up the process. The human body processes alcohol at approximately .015 percent of blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour no matter what your gender, height or weight. It takes roughly three hours to eliminate the alcohol content of two drinks and only time will sober you up.
Myth: "Mixing up" drinks--switching between beer, wine or hard liquor--will get you drunk more quickly than just sticking with one type of drink.
False: Standard amounts of beer, wine and liquor contain equivalent amounts of alcohol so it's your level of blood alcohol content that determines how intoxicated you are.
Myth: You can beat a breathalyzer test.
False: Breathalyzers test the chemical in your breath that comes out of the blood transfer in your lungs. They do not test the smell in your mouth so chewing mints and sucking on pennies won't do a thing.
While police have used breathalyzers for decades, only recently have consumer breathalyzers become available. One such model, the BACtrack breathalyzer, estimates BAC without using a mouthpiece, making it very sanitary for personal use. Simply turn the device on, follow the signals to blow into the target and an advanced alcohol sensor instantly estimates your blood alcohol content.
The BACtrack is cleared by the FDA for consumer use and is designed to be small, stylish and easily portable. The device is an accurate and affordable way to make smart decisions - and avoid a DUI arrest - by helping people understand how each drink affects their blood alcohol content.
For more information and to purchase a BACtrack personal breathalyzer for only $99.99 with free shipping, visit www.Breathalyzer.net.
Copyright © 2008, ARAnet, Inc.





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