How soon can alcohol become measurable in a person's blood?

Alcohol can become measurable in a person's blood quite rapidly once it is consumed. When a person drinks alcohol, it quickly enters the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine. It is absorbed into the bloodstream shortly after ingestion, allowing for measurable amounts to appear.

Specifically, measurable levels of alcohol can typically be detected within a timeframe of about 5 minutes after consumption, especially if the drink is consumed on an empty stomach. This rapid absorption is influenced by various factors including the type of alcohol, the presence of food in the stomach, and individual metabolism rates.

The other timeframes listed would not align as closely with the physiological processes of alcohol absorption. For example, waiting up to 1 minute might be too short for the average absorption to take place, while longer durations such as 10 or 15 minutes would typically allow for significant alcohol absorption to occur, but the 5-minute mark is more accurate for initial measurable levels.