| Let's say you had a drink or two but don't feel you are | | | | because most breath analyzing devices will falsely |
| under the influence of alcohol. However, you are | | | | report acetaldehyde as alcohol. Acetaldehyde is a |
| arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and offered the | | | | compound produced in the liver in small amounts as a |
| choice of taking a breath or blood test (or, in some | | | | by-product in the metabolism of alcohol. However, |
| states, urine). Most DUI suspects choose the breath | | | | scientists have found acetaldehyde concentrations in |
| test -- a choice which could doom your chances to | | | | the lungs of smokers are far greater than for |
| prove your innocence. Consider the following advice | | | | non-smokers. ("Origin of Breath Acetaldehyde During |
| when deciding which test to take: | | | | Ethanol Oxidation: Effect of Long-Term Cigarette |
| 1. If you smoke cigarettes, you may want to pass on | | | | Smoking", 100 Journal of Laboratory Clinical Medicine |
| that Breathalyzer mouthpiece the officer is handing | | | | 908). Translated: because breathalyzers can't tell the |
| you. Scientific research has shown that smoking can | | | | difference between alcohol and acetaldehyde, |
| raise the test result considerably -- enough to get you | | | | cigarette smokers will have a higher blood-alcohol |
| charged and convicted of drunk driving. This is | | | | reading. |