Alcopal, a pill that allegedly helps drunk drivers pass breath tests, went on sale in the UK this August. According to Arthur Kibble, a supplier of the pill, Alcopal can reduce an individual’s BAC content around .08%, the legal limit in UK and U.S. The pill has already been banned in the United States. The active ingredient is simethicone, which can also be found in over-the-counter anti-indigestion medicines like Alka-Seltzer Anti-Gas. Kibble doesn’t claim that the pill will help impaired drivers drive more safely, only that Alcopal will help shield certain levels of BAC from registering in a breath test.

In Georgia, individuals suspected of DUI have to contend with two different charges, DUI Per Se and Less Safe. These charges hinge on different pieces of evidence. To charge an individual with DUI Per Se, the State must obtain a state-administered chemical test that shows the individual had a BAC of .08% or higher within three hours of driving. If the test result is lower than .08% or the individual refuses the test, the State will charge the individual with DUI Less Safe. In order to prove a DUI Less Safe charge, the State uses field sobriety tests, the initial driving infraction, the demeanor of the suspect, and the admittance of having ingested alcohol as evidence. As fantastic as Alcopal may sound to people playing fast and loose with drunk driving, remember that Alcopal, or similar substances, won’t help you maintain your lane, hide the odor of alcohol, walk a straight line, or not slur your speech. Whether it’s DUI Per Se or Less Safe, a Georgia DUI is still a DUI.

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