How combining these common drugs with alcohol can lead to a DUI
When most people think of getting a DUI, they probably think of having one too many at the bar or at a friend’s house and then getting behind the wheel of a car. Yet in many situations, it isn’t necessarily having too much to drink that causes DUIs — it’s actually a dangerous combination of alcohol and prescription drugs.
We have all seen the warning labels on the little medication bottles: danger, do not mix with alcohol. Yet many of us simply do not pay attention to these warnings, and figure that having one drink can’t hurt. However, depending on the type of medication, even a small amount of alcohol can be dangerous — and can seriously alter your judgement and ability to drive safely. As experienced Rancho Cucamonga DUI attorneys, we have seen a number of clients who have been arrested for DUI due to combining medication with alcohol — even small amounts of alcohol.
There are more than 100 different drugs that interact with alcohol such as wine, beer, champagne, and hard liquor. It can cause a variety of side effects, ranging from nausea and headaches to internal bleeding and even difficulty breathing. Alcohol is a depressant, and combined with certain types of prescription and non-prescription drugs, it can cause major health problems and impair your judgment significantly.
There are broad categories of drugs that should never be mixed with alcohol. These include blood pressure medication, opiates, muscle relaxers, cholesterol drugs, anti-anxiety drugs, blood thinners, over-the-counter pain medications, antihistamines and even certain antibiotics. While sometimes the side effects that you experience from mixing alcohol and these drugs may be mild, in other situations, the effects may be life-threatening. If you are on any type of medication, including an over-the-counter medicine, be sure to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether it is safe to drink alcohol.
In California, you can be charged with a DUI if you are too impaired to drive from a combination of alcohol or drugs. Even if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is below the legal limit of .08 percent, if the police observe you driving in an erratic fashion, you could be pulled over on suspicion of DUI and even arrested based on your impairment. Again, even if you have only had one drink, the interaction of your medication with the alcohol could be enough to cause you to act impaired even if you otherwise believe that you are “sober.”
If you have been charged with a DUI, you will need a skilled Rancho Cucamonga DUI attorney to defend you. A DUI can have a serious impact on your life, from a license suspension to potential jail time. Contact the Chambers Law Firm today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to schedule a free initial consultation and learn more about how we can help you.
