New Jersey Lawmakers OK Immunity for Some Teen Drinkers

June 29, 2009

  • June 29, 2009 at 12:37 pm
    Big Mike In CALI says:
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    It seems like this particular bill was conceived in a drunken stupor, and it’s very concept appears to be an oxymoron of sorts; teens are drinking alcohol, presumably without parental knowledge, one gets alcohol poisoning. Knowing that the police can’t prosecute, how many teens would still rather ride out the episode on their own before facing the wrath of law-abiding parents? I’m guessing ALL OF THEM!!!

    Of course, I could be off the mark. Under age drinking here in CA, especially among teenagers, seems to be an unofficial right of passage…

  • June 29, 2009 at 1:20 am
    FormerEastCoaster says:
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    Drinking age used to be 18 in NJ – all us PA-ites would cruise over the bridge for a night of fun and frivolity and then back again – stupid yes – did it stop when they raised the age to 21 – no…

    Will this bill promote drinking… probably not – kids do it – with or without laws of prosecution – will it help those that are left walling in their own night out – jury’s out – but now they can’t put you away for doing the right thing.

    I dunno either… Legislate you to death… or not

  • June 29, 2009 at 2:18 am
    Concerned Citizen says:
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    What’s going to happen to the teen who is driving and gets in an accident and another under 21 person calls the police, do they still get immunity for a DWI? Bet some Jersey lawyer finds this loophole in the bill

  • June 29, 2009 at 2:29 am
    Crazy says:
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    And afte that passes next year you will read about a new bill that puts safety first.

    The bill grants immunity to any under 21 who has been doing cocane or heroin if that person calls police when another teen does too much drugs and needs medical help. Police would not be able to prosecute either the person who called or the one sickened by the illigal drugs.

  • June 29, 2009 at 2:59 am
    Scott says:
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    Lets applaud the government for actually trying to do something that might keeps some of these kids off the street. If one of these so called “phone calls” to the police could turn out to be a success story then the legislature has saved one if not more lives then they would have if they had done nothing at all.

    All of ya’ll can be smarta$$ if you like, but nothing is going to cure the problem of underage drinking. Lowering the DWI limit for those under 21 “might” curtail a few as most states have. Free cab services to those who have drank too much have kept a few drunks off the streets that could easily ended in fatalities. From the way I see it, this program is all about saving lives.

  • June 29, 2009 at 3:52 am
    Spins22 says:
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    Or you might try what I did when my kids were teenagers, be a PARENT!!! Talk to them about the dangers of driving and drinking and drugging. Talk to the about the split second you never get back and how your life changes forever, and talk to them again and again and again until they are sick of hearing it. Here’s another novel idea, allow them to call YOU, yes you the parent to get them home safe, offer a safe place for them to land and then talk to them the next day, calmly tell the again and again and again. I did this with my boys, in NJ, and you know what, they each have called me once and older one twice, once when he stupid and once when his friend that was driving was stupid. I got them home, put the to bed kissed their foreheads and had another long talk about responsiblity the next day. I’d much rather pick them up, talk to them then have to ID them in some hospital or mourge one day. Believe me, my boys were and are not angels they were pretty typical but they respect me and more importantly respect themselves. Communication between parents and kids is key, not more government in my house or life.

  • June 29, 2009 at 4:11 am
    Wow. says:
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    Spins22,

    Can we clone you? At what point have parents stopped taking responsibility for their parenting duties? Why does the law have to intervene? I had parents like you. They were true parents and not always trying to be my “friends,” but they made it very clear that if I did choose that path that I was to call them, and my dad (the only driver in the family), would bring me home.

    Thank you for your post.

  • June 29, 2009 at 4:55 am
    Scott says:
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    Great points….but as long as “stupid” and “lazy” people are allowed to breed, then kids will fall thru the cracks. Just like our educations system. Some parents want the school system to “RAISE” there kids not just educate them.

    I have offered up that same advise to my daughter who is only 13 (as I was done at that age). Hopefully, by the time she turns 15 she will understand where I’m coming from. In my previous life I was an auto adjuster for 16 years. I had a file of serious car wrecks where as you put it, “the slit second you could never get back” and the consequences of your actions. The first time we saw them they were just cool, but it took her grandmother and her to get in a accident to want to see the pics again. There accident was minor, but a good impact, and now she is starting to get an idea behind the force of a car.

  • July 1, 2009 at 3:21 am
    spins22 says:
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    It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or even a village. Just a parent or two that pays attention, listens, talks, communicates and turns off the Yankee game everyone once in a while! Dare I say, good old common sense???!!!



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