Had a little too much last night? Everyone does weird things when they're drunk. And some of them can be quite embarrassing--perhaps this is why NCADD has declared April as Alcohol Awareness Month. Here are some of the most outrageous and embarrassing stories that happened as a result of alcohol:   1. Stealing a Penguin While enjoying an evening at Sea World Australia, three young friends found themselves drunk enough to steal a penguin, swim with dolphins, and wake up the next morning with the stolen penguin, Dirk, in their apartment. Panicked, they set the penguin free into a ... Read More →

If you're a serious or heavy alcoholic drinker, you might have experienced a blackout before. A blackout is different than passing out—this is a moment where you are basically functioning, walking around, talking, performing tasks, but aftewards you have no recollection of what happened.  What is a Blackout?  Real Blackout Stories The following are true blackout stories told by Gene Duffy, our founder. These are powerful reminders of how subtly dangerous excessive alcohol use can be.  Blackout Stories: How the Hell Did I Get Here?  Blackout Stories: What Can't You Do During ... Read More →

Shannon Alder once wrote, “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” Shannon’s quote is very compelling and perhaps one of the most clearly stated on the true essence of leaving a legacy. Which helps us to beg the question, what kind of legacy do you want to leave? Will your children and grandchildren respect you? Will you leave a legacy etched in their hearts? In late March, Tom Claunch, a recovery inspiration living in New Zealand, passed away in Alabama ... Read More →

When I was a child, the issue of drugs and alcohol was presented one dimensionally. "Good girls and boys' didn't drink or do drugs." If we simply behaved, we never had to deal with the ugly problems of addiction. Poof, it was just that easy. Or so I was told. My Perspective: Bad People The complete avoidance of the real issues of addiction left me with the impression that anyone seriously addicted to anything could not be a good person. Period. They were people to be afraid of. People whose primary purpose was to give oneself a warm and ... Read More →

We are excited to help support Alcohol Awareness month this month. And today's alcohol awareness activity is to share our Alcohol Awareness t-shirt -- and to give all proceeds to the Gene Duffy Foundation. (Get one for ourself and then a few copies for your friends, so they can also support Alcohol Awareness month.)  Alcohol Awareness T-Shirt: $25 This beautiful, custom design features this year’s theme, “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow” with the design resembling the sun rising over the ocean. This imagery symbolizes the new life experienced by those of ... Read More →

One weekend. No alcohol. Can you do it? To create public awareness for its Alcohol Awareness Month , the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence extends an open invitation to all Americans to refrain from drinking alcohol during the weekend of April 5th through 7th and calling it their Alcohol-Free Weekend.  Why Should I Take the Alcohol-Free Weekend Challenge? For many social drinkers, abstaining from alcohol might seem unnecessary. If you’re not addicted to alcohol, why is it so important for you to go without it for a weekend? Even if you do not consider ... Read More →

Held every April, Alcohol Awareness Month is a national effort to highlight the effects of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. At Duffy's, we are passionate about helping those who are struggling with alcohol, so we are excited to participate in this special month on our blog.  Who Sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month? The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) What is the Goal for Alcohol Awareness Month? The goal for Alcohol Awareness month is to raise awareness and to support recovery.This is a time dedicated to support prevention, research, education, intervention, treatment and recovery from alcoholism and ... Read More →

Throughout history, people have turned to all kinds of bizarre sources to discover the ultimate high. From salamander brandy to cobra venom, the following list of hair-raising, gag-stimulating drugs demonstrate the intensity of drug abuse and the power of addiction throughout the world. 10. Hand Sanitizer One of the most recent among a lengthy list of inhalants, hand sanitizer reached headlines when Los Angeles hospitals admitted several teens with alcohol poisoning from drinking hand sanitizer. With the help of social media, chugging a bottle of hand sanitizer—or distilling the sanitizer to separate the alcohol from the liquid—quickly ... Read More →

A New Obsession I'll never forget the first time my friends and I got a case of beer and got drunk together. I loved it. I wanted more. Nothing was ever the same after that because unless there was booze and drugs involved I wanted nothing to do with it. The booze and drugs took hold of me from day one. I never knew what would happen. . . I could hook up with a pretty girl, get in a fight or black out and wake up covered in vomit. But I still loved it. It was adventure in a bottle ... Read More →

On Friday, March 15, reports announced that rapper Lil Wayne was in a coma after suffering multiple seizures from an overdose of the popular recreational drug, Sizzurp.  What is Sizzurp? Sizzurp, also known as purple drank, syrup, or Texas tea, is a combination of prescription strength cough syrup with 7-Up or a similar fruit-flavored soda and dissolved hard candy, such as jolly ranchers. Sometimes users add alcohol or crushed painkillers for an even stronger high. The main ingredient is the codeine and promethazine based prescription cough syrup. This is not the same as dextromethorphan (DXM) based cough syrup, which is ... Read More →