Monday, February 20, 2012
Legislature mulls changes in state liquor laws to allow alcohol sales in supermarkets and big box food stores.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, February 20, 2012
Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) wants to allow supermarkets in New Jersey to sell alcohol. The Assemblyman told NJ.com that he wants to lift a cap on the number of retail liquor licenses an individual person or company can hold in the state. The two-license cap, he said, has kept chains from buying licenses and has kept supermarkets out of the liquor-sales business. New Jersey is one of just five states to effetively ban liquor sales in supermarkets, according to New Jersey Newsroom. Greenwald told NJ.com that the move also would create incentives for chains to open supermarkets in urban areas. What do you think? Should supermarkets be allowed to sell liquor? Vote in our poll and offer your thoughts by posting a comment.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Instead of making a moral judgment about the person involved, talk about how the brain responds to even the smallest amount of alcohol with diminished ability to self-correct mistakes.
Imagine driving in a heavy rainstorm and seeing a sign that the road ahead is dangerously flooded. Would you heed the warning, turn around, and find another route? "Of course," you say. "Who wouldn't?" Sadly, this answer and your behavior are likely to be different if you have consumed a few drinks. Despite rationally knowing the potential consequences of ignoring the flood alert, you will probably continue driving forward at the same speed while mumbling that such signs always exaggerate conditions. Perhaps soon you get stuck in high water, and a good samaritan is able to push your car to dry ground. Does this brush with danger convince you to change your route or rate of speed? As long as you have alcohol in your body, the answer is …
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Jason's death was a shock to his family, friends, and the South Brunswick community. No one thought that this intelligent, industrious, family-oriented young man would ever be one to abuse illegal drugs.
On December 17, 2003, South Brunswick residents Linda and Mark Surks' phone rang with the news every parent dreads. It was St. Michael's Medical Center, saying their 19-year-old son Jason had been brought into the emergency room very ill and that they needed to come immediately. When they arrived, the hospital staff had a grim update. Jason had passed away from an accidental overdose of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, a medication his parents knew he had never been legally prescribed. It has been eight years since that day and Linda's memory remains vivid. "We drove to Newark in silence, each deep in our own thoughts of what we could be facing. That day was the first time I became aware of Jason's drug use." Linda and Mark later learned …
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Many parents say they feel self-conscious talking about drug use and suicide and/or are afraid that bringing up these topics will only encourage their child to try the undesired behaviors.
Spring 2011 has been glorious. Clear, cool mornings, warm afternoons, and chilly nights have created early yellow flowers on tomato plants, and most lawns have already been cut four or five times. In a few weeks, local schools will release students for summer vacation. While some teens will head for camp or to a job, all will have an increased amount of free time to spend with friends. Ideally, during this period new skills will be learned, healthy relationships will be forged, and lasting memories will be created. For some teens, this increase in unstructured and unsupervised time will not be used as wisely. Teen experimentation with alcohol and other drugs, high-risk activities including sex, and illegal activities tend to rise during …
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Children growing up in families distracted by alcoholism, drug addiction, mental health issues and/or physical illness are likely to experience a variety of emotional, physical and social problems. Help is available.
It is no coincidence that both National Children of Alcoholics Week and Valentine's Day fall within the same time period this year. Both address issues of the heart and expectations with regard to attention from a loved one. The big difference is that Children of Alcoholics Week isn't a Hallmark holiday. You won't see colorful greeting cards, delicious chocolates, or long-stemmed roses being advertised to celebrate the event. Growing up in an alcoholic or addicted family is not an occasion for joy. Both Children and Adults Children raised in such families often have low self-esteem, physical and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, difficulty learning in school and/or lack of parental permission to form healthy …
tara
9:59 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
nice! more ›