DR. WALLACE: We have a British cousin visiting our family and he claims that since he's used to drinking alcohol in the United Kingdom, he has a higher tolerance for alcohol than we Americans do.

He claims that his British "pints" have a much higher alcohol content than American beer has, therefore he will not get drunk as fast as we do. He also claims that he would not test for a high blood alcohol level even if he had several American beers, in case he was stopped by the police while driving one of our cars.

My father is hesitant to lend him one of our cars anyhow since he's used to driving on the left side of the road in Britain and we drive on the right side of the road here in America.

Is it possible that my British cousin is affected by alcohol much less than we are due to his prior consumption of high-content beers in his nation? — His American Cousin, via email

HIS AMERICAN COUSIN: His comments are nonsense. His blood alcohol level will be exactly equivalent to the amount of alcohol he has consumed, weighed against the passage of time since its consumption. He is exactly like any other human being in this regard.

Given his cavalier attitude toward drinking alcohol and driving, I feel your father is wise not to lend him a family vehicle to drive. And the least of my concerns are differences on which side of the road each nation drives on.

TWO DRIVERS DISRESPECT MY WORKSTATION

DR. WALLACE: Why is it that some people who smoke try to smoke in warehouses even though they know that all business offices and buildings are "nonsmoking" establishments?

I live in Canada and I work in a warehouse by a loading bay and truck docks. There are two particular truck drivers who always come up to me to drop off or sign paperwork with a cigarette dangling from their lips. These drivers smell like a chimney in the first place, and their clothes reek of cigarette smoke anyway, but I particularly don't enjoy having to interact with them on days where the wind blows their smoke straight into my face or over my shoulder into my work area.

Should I confront these ignorant guys the next time I see them, or should I at least scold them to put their vile cigarettes out before they ever step out of their trucks?

Just because I'm not sitting in an air-conditioned office behind a fancy desk does not mean that I should have cigarette smoke blown in my face! Even though I work in a semi-outdoor environment, I still should never have smoke blown into my face. Don't you agree? — Choking on the Smoke, via email

CHOKING ON THE SMOKE: I do agree with you wholeheartedly. But don't plan to take things into your own hands. Instead, notify your direct supervisor or manager about this situation and ask that it be remedied immediately.

You're quite correct that your workplace is as important as anyone else's. Speak up for yourself but do so in a professional, respectful way, and go through the proper channels at your workplace.

Although confronting the drivers who infringe on your personal space might provide you satisfaction on some level, I encourage you to not do so. You have managers and supervisors for a reason, and this is absolutely your company's responsibility to remedy right away.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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