EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF ASTHMA INHALERS AND NASAL DECONGESTANT SPRAYS ON A BREATH ALCOHOL TEST

The effects of eight prescription and non-prescription asthma inhalers and four over-the-counter nasal decongestants on the DataMaster, an e vidential breath alcohol instrument, were evaluated. Subjects self adm inistered the medication, and breath alcohol tests were administered i mmediately after use and following a 15 min waiting period. The only p reparation which produced any effect on the instrument was Primatene M ist which contains 34% ethyl alcohol. The alcohol was, however, elimin ated from the breath in the usual pattern of mouth alcohol elimination , and after 5 min there was no longer any effect. The inclusion of a 1 5 min deprivation period prior to an evidential breath test, during wh ich time nothing is introduced into the mouth, is an adequate safeguar d against interference with the test caused by alcohol containing inha lers.