During the coming session, state lawmakers will again contemplate lowering Iowa’s acceptable blood alcohol level from .10 to .08.

A health professional, a public safety official and an Iowa senator each have different views regarding the effectiveness of lowering the acceptable blood alcohol level.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said the federal government is pushing Iowa to lower its blood alcohol level.

Quirmbach said Iowa lawmakers may feel financial pressure when making this decision because the federal government has tied eligibility to some highway repair funds to the lowering of the accepted blood alcohol level.

“In a tight budget it might be tough for us not to comply,” he said.

ISU Police Capt. Gene Deisinger said arrest patterns probably will not change drastically if the blood alcohol levels were lowered.

“The average [blood alcohol concentration] for the people we arrest is well above .10,” he said.

Deisinger said those who drink heavily are going to continue to do so, despite a change in the law.

However, he said there are some people who will take the law seriously.

“I think there is a swing group in the middle that thinks the consequences aren’t worth [driving while intoxicated],” he said.

He said he believes Iowa will benefit from lowering the blood alcohol level.

“I think there would be some effect in that lowering the limit, [drinkers] have to be even more careful than they were previously,” Quirmbach said.

Lauri Dusselier, health promotions supervisor for the Thielen Student Health Center, believes lowering the blood alcohol level in Iowa will have positive effects.

“Overall, by decreasing blood alcohol content, people are going to have a less delayed reaction time, be less impaired in judgment and decision making and their vision less impaired,” she said.

Dusselier said there is no set amount for the number of drinks someone can consume to keep their blood alcohol level with the .08 range.

Dusselier said many factors affect blood alcohol levels, including metabolism, menstrual cycle, food consumed and an individual’s size and body characteristics.