Alcohol, drugs and marijuana

Key points

1. A 12 ounce beer, a 5 ounce glass of wine and a 1.5 ounce shot of whiskey contain the same amount of alcohol.

   Source: Handbook p. 14

   “A 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine and a 1.5-ounce shot of whiskey all contain the same amount of alcohol.”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 14

2. Even one drink can impair your driving.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “Consuming even one drink can impair your ability to drive, slow your reaction time, dull your concentration and cause visual problems.”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 15

3. The only thing that sobers you up is time; coffee, a cold shower or fresh air will not.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “Many people mistakenly believe that coffee, a cold shower, exercise or fresh air can sober them up. The only thing that sobers you up is time.”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 15

4. A drug conviction suspends your license for 6 months if you have no prior drug violations.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “If there are no prior drug violations, your driver’s license is suspended for six months.”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 15

5. With a prior drug conviction in 7 years, the suspension is 1 year.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “One or more prior drug convictions in seven years means your driver’s license will be suspended for one year”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 15

6. The drug suspension reinstatement fee is $125.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “The driver’s license reinstatement fee is $125.”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 15

7. Adults 21 and older may transport 2.5 ounces or less of marijuana.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “Transport 2.5 ounces or less of marijuana if you are age 21 or older.”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 15

8. Drivers and passengers may not smoke marijuana in a vehicle's passenger area on a public way.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “Drivers and their passengers are prohibited from smoking marijuana within the passenger area of a vehicle upon a public way.”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 15

9. Penalties for driving under the influence of marijuana are the same as for alcohol: up to 93 days in jail, up to a $500 fine and 6 points.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “The penalties for operating under the influence of marijuana are the same as operating under the influence of alcohol. These penalties can include up to 93 days in jail, up to a $500 fine, license suspension, six points on a person’s driving record, and more.”
   What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 15

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Michigan practice test

1. 1. According to the Michigan manual, what do a standard beer, wine, and whiskey serving have in common?

   1. They contain no alcohol when served with food
   2. Whiskey contains twice as much alcohol as beer
   3. They contain the same amount of alcohol
   4. Wine is the only serving that affects judgment
   Show answer

   They contain the same amount of alcohol. The manual compares a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a 1.5-ounce shot of whiskey and says each contains the same amount of alcohol. The serving volumes differ because the beverages have different concentrations, but a standard portion delivers the same alcohol amount described in the passage. Food does not make a serving alcohol-free, and the beverage type does not determine whether judgment is affected. Use the three portion sizes as a memory cue: can, glass, and shot. Any of them can affect judgment and self-control before a person drives.

2. 2. What is the only thing that sobers a person after drinking alcohol?

   1. Coffee
   2. A cold shower
   3. Fresh air
   4. Time
   Show answer

   Time. Michigan explains that time is the only thing that sobers a person after drinking alcohol. Coffee, a cold shower, exercise, and fresh air may change how alert someone feels, but they do not remove alcohol from the body or restore safe judgment. The coffee choice is especially misleading because stimulation can mask fatigue while leaving coordination and reaction time impaired. A driver who has been drinking should wait, arrange a designated driver, call a taxi, use public transportation, or get another safe ride. Treat the passage of time as the required condition, not as something a quick remedy can replace.

3. 3. How do Michigan's marijuana-impaired driving penalties compare with alcohol-impaired driving penalties?

   1. They apply only when marijuana was sold illegally
   2. They are limited to a written warning
   3. They are the same
   4. They apply only to drivers under age 21
   Show answer

   They are the same. Michigan states that penalties for operating under the influence of marijuana are the same as penalties for operating under the influence of alcohol. The comparison concerns impaired operation, not whether the substance was legally obtained or whether the driver is young. A written warning understates the consequences, and the rule is not limited to an under-21 driver. The manual lists possible results such as jail, a fine, license suspension, and points, with heightened penalties when minors are in the vehicle. Treat marijuana-impaired driving as an alcohol-impaired driving offense for penalty purposes.

Source: the What Every Driver Must Know, Chapter 2: Your Driving Record. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.