>Ridgewood adjusting code covering underage drinking
Thursday, January 26, 2012 Last updated: Friday January 27, 2012, 1:27 AM
BY JOSEPH CRAMER
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
Village code covering underage drinking on private property may soon include a New Jersey amnesty law in an effort to increase awareness of the policy among local teenagers and mitigate drinking-related medical emergencies.
The village is trying to increase awareness of an amnesty policy granting immunity to underage children if they call authorities in drinking-related medical emergencies.
The law, which grants immunity to underage children from prosecution for consuming alcohol if they call authorities for assistance in cases of drinking-related medical emergencies, was passed in 2009 in an attempt to eliminate the hesitation minors feel to reach out to medical and police authorities because of potential legal charges they might face. The law, however, does not apply directly to instances of underage consumption on private property.
An amendment to the village code, which does address drinking on private property, would change that in Ridgewood.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/138181969_Code_change_aimed_at_putting_safety_first.html