I love Oregon summers—I love hiking and camping, I love all the cool outdoor events that make Portland such a great place to live, and I love backyard BBQs with friends. And that brings me to a simple, but powerful tip to share: Eat before drinking. As many as 20% of the good folks we represent on DUI charges began their night by drinking on an empty stomach. That’s right, 20%.

The reason food makes a difference is because of a little valve in the bottom of your stomach. Food causes that valve to close, trapping the food and any later drinks in your stomach until the food is digested. You can absorb alcohol through your stomach lining, but it is a slow process, so the alcohol from a drink goes slowly into your bloodstream over an extended period of time. Now compare this to drinking without food—the valve remains open, the drink goes through your stomach and into your intestines, and the alcohol is very rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream. This means the alcohol from that drink hits you all at once, having a much greater impact than the same drink would have had if you had eaten first.

So before you enjoy one of Oregon’s many seasonal craft brews or famous Pinot Noir, make sure you hit the appetizers first or have a snack so that you can enjoy the rest of your evening giving your body time to absorb the alcohol slowly.  You can visit Frequently Asked Questions for more information about Oregon DUI law.

I hope you never need to call us, but please keep our number in your cell phone (503)223-3422, and if you or someone you believe in has been arrested for a DUI, please call us right away so we can start figuring out the next best steps for you and your family. At the risk of sounding immodest, we truly are fantastic at what we do.