President Clinton recently endorsed a uniform national standard that would set a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher as the legal definition of drunk driving. Many states have already lowered the acceptable limit of unmetabolized alcohol in the blood (known as the BAC) to .08 percent, down from .10 percent. The number of drinks necessary to reach this level varies because people vary in their ability to metabolize alcohol. Men and women, for example, differ in body mass; compared with women, men can tolerate more alcohol per pound. People who have a tolerance for alcohol can drink more and not become as intoxicated. Eating may also lessen the effects of alcohol, depending on the time elapsed between drinking and eating. Nevertheless, there is a general correlation between a person's weight, drinks per hour, and blood alcohol level.
The United States has many laws regulating the use of alcohol. In all 50 states and in the District of Columbia, an individual must be 21 to possess alcohol. In most states, people younger than 21 who are convicted of possessing alcohol—actually having it in their hands or on their body, or being in a car or a room where it is accessible—can receive stiff penalties. These penalties include loss of driver's license for up to 6 months, mandatory participation in an alcohol counseling program (at fees up to $300), and fines of up to $500.
