The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says two-thirds of adults drank alcohol in 2018. How much is significantly different, but no one wants to end the day with a DUI because they mistakenly believe they are sober, which is not the case.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), there are many factors that can affect how long alcohol stays in your system. Misunderstanding these factors can make it difficult to determine if you are legally safe to drive and can lead to tragic consequences.
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How long does alcohol stay in your system?
Healthline.com says the amount of time alcohol stays in your system depends on age, weight, whether you’ve eaten food recently, medications, liver disease and the time interval between drinking alcohol. One beer may stay in a person’s system longer than others of different weight.
health.clevelandclinic.org says that the ability to metabolize alcohol slows down as you age. Alcohol can have a greater effect on people who are lighter in weight and smaller in size. If you drink on an empty stomach, then the effects of alcohol may be enhanced. Different medications may have dangerous side effects when used with alcohol. Any current liver disease can impair your ability to process and handle alcohol. According to health.clevelandclinic.org and healthline.com, short-term binge drinking can also increase the effects of alcohol.
According to healthline.com, a glass of wine is estimated to be metabolized in one hour, a pint of beer in two hours, a glass of wine in three hours, and several drinks may take several hours.
The NIAAA estimates that one drink is metabolized and out of your system after three hours, two drinks after a little over four hours, three drinks after six hours, and four drinks after seven hours. The NIAAA goes on to note that this again depends on the above factors.
As for driving, healthline.com advises, “The safest thing you can do is not to drive while intoxicated.”
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How long does it take to test for alcohol?
Healthline.com says that the presence of alcohol can be detected through urine tests, breath tests and even in the hair. Alcohol can be measured in urine within 12 to 48 hours or even 80 hours, depending on how advanced the test is. According to healthline.com, a breath test (called a breathalyzer) can detect alcohol within 24 hours.
Health.clevelandclinic.org explains that alcohol can even be detected at the root of the hair up to 90 days after someone stops drinking. Healthline.com also says that alcohol can be identified in sweat and blood.
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How long do other substances stay in your system?
According to medicalnewstoday.com, first-time marijuana smokers may detect weed in their system within three days, while regular smokers who smoke three to four times a week may detect the substance within five to seven days. Daily marijuana smokers can detect it for up to 30 days.
WebMD.com says nicotine can appear in the bloodstream within one to three days, in saliva for up to four days and in the hair for up to 12 months.
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