Working Together To Make The Greater Five Towns A Healthy, Safe And Drug Free Community

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is referred to as “Black Wednesday” because it is a night where many individuals under the age of 21 attend parties and drink alcohol. A report from The National Health Institute states that approximately 10.8 million underage drinkers participate in binge drinking (drinking 4 or more drinks in about two hours) on Black Wednesday. A big risk population are freshmen college students coming back home during their first semester of college. Due to the potential for underage drinking and heavy drinking by young individuals, Saving Lives Coalition would like to recommend some simple tips for parents and family members to consider during this year’s Thanksgiving celebrations:

Have a candid conversation with your children and underage family members about the risks involved with consuming alcohol and binge drinking; Educate your child on alcohol consumption, the reasons it’s important to wait until 21 to drink, the effects of binge drinking, and moderate drinking practices for when they turn 21 years old. Monitor the alcohol in your home, place it in a secure location, and make sure it is supervised during any parties; and, Try to schedule family gatherings or activities on the day before Thanksgiving in order to get more quality family time and reduce the possibility of your child participating in Black Wednesday events.

We are here to ensure you have the information, resources and support you need. If you know or suspect your child or teen may be misusing substances, have addictive behavior or may be having mental health issues, please reach out to: Susan Blauner, Director Substance Abuse Prevention, Awareness and Education 516.569.6733 susan.blauner@guraljcc.org savinglives5townscoalition.org