The increase in the amount of alcohol testing conducted in this country is something that should have probably happened much earlier. The government agencies are facing up to the fact that alcohol abuse can result in various harmful situations. Since it is possible to avoid such accidents from occurring, a stricter control is being levied on people who drink and abuse the freedom that has been granted to them. Alcohol testing can be done in various ways. The various affordable options include the famous breathalyzer-like breath alcohol test and also a saliva based test.
The effect of high levels of alcohol in the blood has been studied in various laboratory experiments. Other empirical studies have also been conducted to understand how alcohol can affect judgment and action. For example, it is known that a large proportion of highway fatalities occur due to a “drinking and driving” situation. The government legislators and organizations like MADD therefore feel that implementing rules with random alcohol tests can help in reducing irresponsible behavior on the road leading to a safer environment for many innocent people.
Some organizations are now beginning to conduct random alcohol tests at the workplace to ensure that the work environment is safe, sophisticated and sober too. It has been seen that such random alcohol tests that can be done using home alcohol test kits can reduce employee theft, on job injuries, turnover, sexual harassment and violence at the workplace. In addition to this there is also an increase that can be observed in the overall productivity levels.
Each of the alcohol tests attempt to arrive at the level of alcohol in the blood. The most common acceptable measure is BAC or Blood Alcohol Concentration. This is the amount of alcohol in the blood as a percentage of the total blood composition. A BAC of 0.09 indicates that there are 9 parts of alcohol per 10,000 parts of blood. Most state laws specify BAC levels in terms of grams per 100 milliliters of blood. The specific BAC levels that have been defined as permissible are covered under state jurisdiction and therefore differ, but it is a criminal offense in every state in the US to operate a vehicle with a BAC of greater than 0.08.
It is important to note here that an alcohol drug test can only confirm that alcohol abuse has taken place. It does not confirm that the individual being tested is an alcoholic or anything like that. Therefore while the test can be accurately described as an alcohol abuse test, it is surely not a test that can confirm alcoholism or addiction. To illustrate, drinking heavily during a birthday party and then driving home can cause a positive result on a breath alcohol test. However, the test result does not indicate a pattern of abuse.
Regular alcohol tests and random and surprise testing conducted in schools and colleges can keep children and teenagers under check making it difficult for them to illegally procure alcohol and consume it, especially during school hours. Not only are alcohol tests providing a safe environment for all concerned, they are also helping our youngsters lead a better life.
–Anne Hamilton
