What is the most effective way to sober up an intoxicated person?

The most effective way to sober up an intoxicated person is indeed to allow time for their body to metabolize the alcohol. Alcohol takes time to leave a person’s system, and the liver can only process a certain amount of alcohol per hour, typically about one standard drink. While various methods, such as strong coffee, cold showers, or heavy meals, might seem like they could help, they actually do not speed up the elimination of alcohol from the bloodstream.

Drinking strong coffee may alert someone temporarily due to the caffeine, but it does not affect the level of alcohol in the body. A cold shower might result in a temporary shock to the system, but again, it does not reduce the alcohol's presence. Eating a large meal may slow the absorption of alcohol if consumed while drinking, but it will not hasten the sobering process once intoxication has occurred.

Ultimately, patience is key. Giving the body enough time to metabolize the alcohol is the only way to truly and effectively achieve sober state, making time the unequivocal answer to this question.