(Reuters)
'Black Wednesday' - the day before Thanksgiving - is one of the biggest nights of the year in terms of teen drinking, the Indianapolis Star reported.
For youth, especially college students, Wednesday night is a time to party and drink with friends before attending family gatherings the next day.
Because the night is the beginning of the holiday season, homes are often stocked with alcohol, making it easier for teens and their friends to access. Experts said parents need to play a key role in keeping their children away from illicit substances.
"From my experience, families that drink through the holidays are more inclined to let teens drink during the holidays just because they may have not seen them for quite some time," Kent Rohlfing, an Indiana police officer, told The Star. "The family is together, and everyone is happy."
Lisa Hutcheson, the director of the Indiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking, recommended that if parents have alcohol in their homes, they should keep it locked up, and they should not drink too much or allow other adults who visit to do so. Also, they should not allow teens to drink at all.
"It's very naïve for parents to think if they are allowing their kids to drink at home that this is the only place they are drinking," Hutcheson said.
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