The breathalyzer has long been a tool in the arsenal of law enforcement for determining the sobriety level of a driver whom they believe is suspect of DUI. The advantage of breathalyzers is that they are accurate when properly calibrated, and the technology can generate results that are admissable in a court of law. There is no easy way to look at it from the modern perspective, though. Recently, breathalyzers became commercially available, and the trend they have started is certainly not one that encourages responsible drinking.
Many people who buy personal breathalyzers end up using them for drinking games. They want to see who can consume the largest amount of alcohol without…well, without dying. I have been a witness to this kind of behavior on more than one occasion. It is actually the only kind of activity I have ever seen someone use a personal breathalyzer for. I have never had anyone say their breathalyzer stopped them from driving and getting a DUI. I do hear stories about the guy with the breathalyzer at the bar who started a drinking fest that lasted till half the bar was sick in the alley.
It is discouraging to me as an adult to consider hope for my generation to rest in the hands of the college breathalyzer bros. Their fraternities have members that run our society, and those kids now have access to the channels that will carry them to the top without any kind of serious hard work. Personally, I think the breathalyzer should have stayed in the hands of police, and people should be subjected to mandatory breathalyzer tests at the end of a night of drinking in public. I’m biased though.