The question is: Given the genetic polymorphism affecting alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), how much variability is there in the population, and how does this variability affect the amount of alcohol that can be consumed before one exceeds the breathalyzer legal limits?
Today we begin a study at Changi General Hospital to find out.
Keep watching this space. We'll have the results out soon....
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Dear Prof Lee,
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that you are doing this study. I feel that the amount of alcohol in the blood is not really related to the degree of control that the person has on the wheel. This study might cause complacency in the people to drink under the legal limits, but it would have a psychological effect which causes overconfidence of the driver if he knows that he should be under the legal limit. I feel that this would eventually cause more accidents as sensitive people who are could not control their vehicles become overly confident.
Just my two cents worth of opinion.
Ho Bernard,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for taking so long to respond to your comment. I missed it completely.
The study above is designed to only answer the question about how much alcohol consumption is required to reach the legal limit. For better or worse, this is what the law only looks at.
You are right in that the alcohol levels do not necessarily correlate well with the cognitive effects (or the level of intoxication). We actually have another study coming up soon to look at alcohol consumption and the driving simulator performance.