Drink Very Carefully If You Are Driving This Holiday Season

If you are out drinking, and plan to drive, you need to know what is in your drink at all times. No, I am not talking about date rape (and guys this applies to you as well), read on. You could be charged with a DUI for driving under the influence of alcohol that has been enhanced by drugs, even if you did not know you had consumed drugs!

I recently overheard a conversation in a beauty salon, wherein a woman told the story of being in a bar recently, at which time she became tired of a fellow (male) patron's politically charged rant. When he went to the bathroom, she passed his "friends" an Ambien, which, at her request, they placed in his drink. This is a variation on the great Chicago tradition of "slipping a Mickey". After Mr. Poitical Rant's "friends" indulged her request, she left the bar, with no knowledge of whether Mr. Rant drove home safely, or what happened to him that night.

Fast forward. Our protagonist saw Mr. Political Rant and his "friends" a few weeks later; the guy appeared none the worse for wear. Apparently, and fortunately, there had been no vehicular accident involving the unsuspectingly doped bar patron on the night in question, nor any other reason for the police to take a breath, urine, or blood sample from him. It is very easy to imagine many less fortunate outcomes, including accidents involving fatalities, run-of-the mill accidents, and probable cause stops from bad driving. Any of these unfortunate happenings could have led to the unsuspecting doped patron facing a DUI charge not of his making.