Know Your BAC Level
What is the equivalent of one drink?
· 12 oz of beer = 1 drink
· 6 oz of wine = 1 drink
· 1.5 oz of liquor = 1 drink
What is “Blood Alcohol Level” and why do I need to know about it?
(Source: www.factsontap.org)
Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) is the amount of alcohol present in your blood as you drink. It's calculated by determining how many milligrams of alcohol are present in 100 milliliters of blood. But you Don't need a Breathalyzer, a calculator, or a measurement conversion chart to figure out what BAL you had last night. Use the Table of Blood Alcohol Levels below. This is a generalized chart based on a person who is metabolizing (or breaking down) one drink an hour. For example if you are a 120 lb. female drinking seven drinks in one hour, your BAL is a .30%.
If You're a WOMAN, your Blood Alcohol Level is:
|
Weight |
||||||||
|
# of Drinks in 1 Hour |
100 lbs |
120 lbs |
140 lbs |
160 lbs |
180 lbs |
200 lbs |
220 lbs |
240 lbs |
|
1 |
.05 |
.04 |
.04 |
.03 |
.03 |
.03 |
.02 |
.02 |
|
2 |
.10 |
.08 |
.07 |
.06 |
.06 |
.05 |
.05 |
.04 |
|
3 |
.15 |
.13 |
.11 |
.10 |
.08 |
.08 |
.07 |
.06 |
|
4 |
.20 |
.17 |
.15 |
.13 |
.11 |
.10 |
.09 |
.09 |
|
5 |
.25 |
.21 |
.18 |
.16 |
.14 |
.13 |
.12 |
.11 |
|
6 |
.30 |
.26 |
.22 |
.19 |
.17 |
.15 |
.14 |
.13 |
|
7 |
.36 |
.30 |
.26 |
.22 |
.20 |
.18 |
.16 |
.15 |
|
8 |
.41 |
.33 |
.29 |
.26 |
.23 |
.20 |
.19 |
.17 |
|
9 |
.46 |
.38 |
.33 |
.29 |
.26 |
.23 |
.21 |
.19 |
|
10 |
.51 |
.42 |
.36 |
.32 |
.28 |
.25 |
.23 |
.21 |
|
11 |
.56 |
.46 |
.40 |
.35 |
.31 |
.27 |
.25 |
.23 |
|
12 |
.61 |
.50 |
.43 |
.37 |
.33 |
.30 |
.28 |
.25 |
|
13 |
.66 |
.55 |
.47 |
.40 |
.36 |
.32 |
.30 |
.27 |
|
14 |
.71 |
.59 |
.51 |
.43 |
.39 |
.35 |
.32 |
.29 |
|
15 |
.76 |
.63 |
.55 |
.46 |
.42 |
.37 |
.35 |
.32 |
If You're a MAN, your Blood Alcohol Level is:
|
Weight |
||||||||
|
# of Drinks in 1 Hour |
100 lbs |
120 lbs |
140 lbs |
160 lbs |
180 lbs |
200 lbs |
220 lbs |
240 lbs |
|
1 |
.04 |
.04 |
.03 |
.03 |
.02 |
.02 |
.02 |
.02 |
|
2 |
.09 |
.07 |
.06 |
.05 |
.05 |
.04 |
.04 |
.043 |
|
3 |
.13 |
.11 |
.09 |
.08 |
.07 |
.07 |
.06 |
.05 |
|
4 |
.17 |
.15 |
.13 |
.11 |
.10 |
.09 |
.08 |
.07 |
|
5 |
.22 |
.18 |
.16 |
.14 |
.12 |
.11 |
.10 |
.09 |
|
6 |
.26 |
.22 |
.19 |
.16 |
.15 |
.13 |
.12 |
.11 |
|
7 |
.30 |
.25 |
.22 |
.19 |
.17 |
.15 |
.14 |
.13 |
|
8 |
.35 |
.29 |
.25 |
.22 |
.19 |
.17 |
.16 |
.14 |
|
9 |
.37 |
.32 |
.26 |
.24 |
.20 |
.19 |
.17 |
.15 |
|
10 |
.39 |
.35 |
.28 |
.25 |
.22 |
.20 |
.18 |
.16 |
|
11 |
.48 |
.40 |
.34 |
.30 |
.26 |
.24 |
.22 |
.20 |
|
12 |
.53 |
.43 |
.37 |
.32 |
.29 |
.26 |
.24 |
.21 |
|
13 |
.57 |
.47 |
.40 |
.35 |
.31 |
.29 |
.26 |
.23 |
|
14 |
.62 |
.50 |
.43 |
.37 |
.34 |
.31 |
.28 |
.25 |
|
15 |
.66 |
.54 |
.47 |
.40 |
.36 |
.34 |
.30 |
.27 |
REMEMBER: While this chart is a good general guideline, every individual reacts differently to alcohol. The chart doesn't take into account your individual body composition, your use of medication, your mood changes, or your personal metabolism rate. Therefore, your blood alcohol level may in fact be slightly higher or slightly lower than the chart indicates for the number of drinks you consume. Just keep in mind that your body processes alcohol at a constant rate of .5 oz. per hour, regardless of how many ounces you consume.
Therefore, the faster you drink, the higher your blood alcohol level will be.