Underage Drinking Spikes on 'Black Wednesday'

Since when did the Wednesday before Thanksgiving become a national drinking holiday?

Black Wednesday or, as some are calling it, Blackout Wednesday, has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day and New Year's Eve, with the heavy emphasis on imbibing alcohol.

Alarmingly, underage drinking spikes this time of year, according to Fox News.

The cause, they say, is fueled by college students coming home for the holidays and the abundance of alcohol stocked in their parents’ liquor cabinets for holiday parties

USA Today recommends parents take a proactive approach in staving off underage drinking.

ABC2 published statistics from a recent survey that found “40 percent of college students say they have participated in binge drinking in the last 2 weeks. 70 percent of college students reported using alcohol in the previous month, and 3/5 of those students are under the age of 21.”

Baltimore County police are aware of the trend and are taking the necessary steps to keep drivers safe. Officers will be participating in the statewide initiative “Checkpoint Strikeforce,” which targets drivers who are drunk, aggressive or speeding.The campaign goes into effect this week. 

“Baltimore County police and Maryland State troopers will concentrate police traffic and criminal enforcement along three main corridors within the county,” according to a release published on Nov. 16.

“If an officer sees someone driving erratically, the driver will be pulled over and given a sobriety test. If the motorist is found to be driving while intoxicated (DWI), he will be arrested on the spot,” the release continues.

For the of-age bar patrons who want to enjoy a night on the town, we recommend taking a look at our.