Question:  I'm worried that I could catch another DUI, and that's the last thing I need. I'm in college at Georgia Tech and I got a DUI and I have several friends who are now battling a drunk driving charge or have already been convicted. The engineering program here is challenging and to get by we either drink or leave the engineering stuff altogether. So before calling it quits in engineering, I wanted to write to ask about how to mask the smell of alcohol on your breath.

Cops can smell booze, that's for sure. And it seems these Tech cops have special training in detecting it. I don't want to get another drunk driving charge and I want to help my buddies who seem to drink and drive all of the time, so I thought I'd ask you what to do.

Just in the past year I've had friends get arrested for DUI in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Woodstock and Alpharetta. Any advice you can give on how to hide booze on your breath would be helpful.

R.F. in Atlanta, GA

Answer:  Let me be clear: the best way to prevent being charged with a DUI is to not drink and drive. But, having made that rather obvious point, there are certain things that can be done to hide or mask the scent of someone who has been drinking. Here are just a few ideas for those times when discretion is warranted.

Eating onion and garlic can help hide the smell of booze. You certainly don't have to eat them alone, although that should easily hide the alcohol aroma even after a long night out. Just add a good amount of either (or both) to your meal or snack. Both of these foods can have an overwhelming smell. And that's exactly what you want when trying to go undetected.

Chewing gum, particularly flavored gum marketed for one's breath, can help. People chew gum all the time to get better smelling breath, particularly after eating a particularly pungent meal. The same rationale works for drinking.

There are all sorts of candies that can be used. Look for breath mints and breath fresheners as they are specifically designed to mask odor. Just look at any candy rack and you'll find some worthwhile candidates.

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