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Blood Alcohol Content

Blood Alcohol Content or Concentration (BAC) or sometimes called Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) refers to the ratio of alcohol to blood in the bloodstream. It is expressed as a percentage. A person with a BAC of 0.10% has 1 part of alcohol per 1,000 parts of blood.

How can the blood alcohol content be measured?

BAC can be measured by doing a blood, urine or breath test. BAC can also be estimated by calculating the amount of alcohol, the body weight, the sex, and the time that a person has been drinking. Law enforcement checks the BAC of suspected drunk drivers by doing a breath test using a breathalyzer.

PLEASE DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE! GET A DESIGNATED DRIVER, UBER, LYFT OR A TAXI.

How long does alcohol stay in your body?

It all depends on how much alcohol you consumed and how fast; it also depends on some other factors like weight and sex. To get an estimate of how long it will take you to sober up, please use this BAC Calculator.

Blood Alcohol Effects

Blood alcohol content with their physical and emotional effects
BACPhysical and Emotional Effects
0.02%You may feel relaxed and might experience slow reaction time.
0.04%Your vision is affected.
0.08%Your coordination decreases and your driving skills are impaired. This is the legal drinking limit. You are legally intoxicated and it's illegal to drive in the U.S.
0.10%Your speech may become slurred. Lost of coordination and judgment.
0.15%You may stumble when walking and may have trouble standing up.
0.30%You might vomit and probably pass out.
0.40%You may pass out (unconscious) and may go into a coma.
Over 0.40%Alcohol poisoning and death can occur. Your breathing might stop. This is the lethal blood alcohol level.

Men BAC Chart

Men blood alcohol content for specific body weight in pounds and number of alcoholic drinks.
100 lb 120 lb 140 lb 160 lb 180 lb 200 lb 220 lb 240 lb 260 lb 280 lb 300 lb
1 Drink 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
2 Drinks 0.08 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03
3 Drinks 0.11 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.04
4 Drinks 0.15 0.13 0.11 0.09 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.05
5 Drinks 0.19 0.16 0.13 0.12 0.10 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.06
6 Drinks 0.23 0.19 0.16 0.14 0.13 0.11 0.10 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.08
7 Drinks 0.26 0.22 0.19 0.17 0.15 0.13 0.12 0.11 0.10 0.09 0.09
8 Drinks 0.30 0.25 0.22 0.19 0.17 0.15 0.14 0.13 0.12 0.11 0.10
9 Drinks 0.34 0.28 0.24 0.21 0.19 0.17 0.15 0.14 0.13 0.12 0.11
10 Drinks 0.38 0.31 0.27 0.24 0.21 0.19 0.17 0.16 0.15 0.13 0.13

For every hour of drinking subtract 0.015

Women BAC Chart

Women blood alcohol content for specific body weight in pounds and number of alcoholic drinks.
80 lb 100 lb 120 lb 140 lb 160 lb 180 lb 200 lb 220 lb 240 lb 260 lb 280 lb
1 Drink 0.06 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02
2 Drinks 0.11 0.09 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.03
3 Drinks 0.17 0.13 0.11 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.05
4 Drinks 0.22 0.18 0.15 0.13 0.11 0.10 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.06
5 Drinks 0.28 0.22 0.18 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.11 0.10 0.09 0.08 0.08
6 Drinks 0.33 0.26 0.22 0.19 0.17 0.15 0.13 0.12 0.11 0.10 0.09
7 Drinks 0.39 0.31 0.26 0.22 0.19 0.17 0.15 0.14 0.13 0.12 0.11
8 Drinks 0.44 0.35 0.29 0.25 0.22 0.20 0.18 0.16 0.15 0.14 0.13
9 Drinks 0.50 0.40 0.33 0.28 0.25 0.22 0.20 0.18 0.17 0.15 0.14
10 Drinks 0.55 0.44 0.37 0.31 0.28 0.24 0.22 0.20 0.18 0.17 0.16

For every hour of drinking subtract 0.015