Hand sanitizer: The new vodka for teens?

Apr 27, 2012

There's a new trend among teens looking for a buzz, doctors say, and it surrounds an unlikely household item designed to keep us germ-free: ethanol-based hand sanitizer.

Teenagers are using it this stuff to get high, according to health officials. Poison control centers nationwide say reports are on the rise.

The big issue here is the alcohol content, says Dr. Robert J. Geller, a medical toxicologist and Emory University pediatrician.

He says these sanitizers "are actually products that are 60% ethanol which means they are 120 proof," and "if you drink 2 ounces of it, it's like drinking 3 ounces of 80-proof tequila."

In California, where word of the trend first surfaced, there have been reports of 60 teenagers exposed since 2010, says Dr. Cyrus Rangan, toxicologist and assistant medical director of California Poison Control.

In recent months L.A. County doctors noticed an increase in cases, so last week they asked the California Poison Control Center to run numbers to see if data matched their instincts.

But nationwide statistics haven't been compiled, so CNN asked the American Association of Poison Control Centers check their database.

Turns out the number of cases around the country are going up too.

To view the full story, click this link: http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/27/hand-sanitizer-the-new-vodka-for-teens/

Source: CNN Health 

April 27, 2012

The most powerful wine buyer in the world, Costco's lead wine buyer Annette Alvarez-Peters doesn't understand why wine is any different than toilet paper. Last night CNBC ran a special called "The Costco Craze: Inside The Warehouse Giant," which featured Alvarez-Peters in what might as well have been a six-minute segment on wine ignorance. Here's a preview:

To view the video and full story, click this link: http://eater.com/archives/2012/04/27/costcos-wine-buyer-doesnt-think-wine-is-different-than-toilet-paper.php

Source: The Eater 

Hundreds of citations issued at Little 500  

April 23, 2012

Indiana State Excise Police officers issued hundreds of tickets and incarcerated dozens of people in Bloomington during Indiana University's Little 500 events over the weekend.

The officers issued a total of 256 tickets, which is an increase of 89 tickets from last years.  In 2010, officers issued 158 tickets and even less in previous years. 

Ball State University Police said the increase can be attributed to more officers assigned to the Intensified College Enforcement, ICE, program, which began in February.  ICE is designed to reduce underage drinking in three Indiana college communities-Bloomington, Ball State University in Muncie and DePauw University in Greencastle.

Police said a majority of the tickets issued at Little 500 were for alcohol offenses, particularly illegal possession or consumption of alcohol.  Arrests were made for theft, trespassing, possession of marijuana, resisting law enforcement, false informing, furnishing or providing alcoholic beverages to a minor and public intoxication. 

To view the full story, click this link: http://www.fox59.com/news/crime/wxin-little-500-arrests-tickets-police-issue-hundreds-of-tickets-arrest-dozens-over-little-500-weekend-20120423,0,245321.column

Source: Fox59 

Connecticut: Liquor Store Owners on New Liquor Law

April 30, 2012

Maurice Samaha of Danbury Liquor Store, 18 White St., said the new law will just spread the same amount of sales over seven days. It will create staffing problems.

Paul Jose Paul of Shirley's Spirit Shop, 16 Great Plain Road, said he doubts the state will see extra tax revenues from this law.

The new liquor store law will cost store owners 52 days off a year, plus they will lose the two-day weekends they had on holidays, like Memorial day, a back-to-back Sunday/Monday break. Open both days now.

So why not just close if it's not worth opening?

"I have to open or my customers will start going next door," said Paul Jose Paul, owner of Shirley's Spirit Shop, 16 Great Plain Road.

Gov. Dannel Malloy, who championed this law change, said in a press release when it passed the house, "Under the current law, we lose millions of dollars over the border every Sunday. It's a bad policy that inconveniences consumers and makes businesses less competitive. But after tonight, there will be an additional 55 days where sales will be permissible. It's a good first step," Malloy said in his release.

For the liquor store owners, it means changes.

To view the full story, click this link: http://danbury.patch.com/articles/liquor-store-owners-on-new-liquor-law

Source: Danbury Patch