The Short Version
The claim is partially true but significantly overstated. Peer-reviewed research confirms that vapor from undried hand sanitizer near a breathalyzer mouthpiece can produce false-positive readings — particularly on hospital-grade devices. However, the best-controlled study found that normal topical use produces only trace breath alcohol that would not register as positive on evidential police breathalyzers. The effect is real but highly conditional (undried sanitizer, device type, vapor proximity), and the claim's unqualified framing creates a misleading impression of general risk.