SFCS Offers Warning About Excessive Drinking on "Blackout Wednesday"

Blackout Wednesday, or the evening before Thanksgiving is a cultural phenomenon among young people in which binge drinking is promoted, often to the point of blacking out. The phenomenon is spurred by college students returning home and using the night as an occasion to celebrate with friends. Thanksgiving eve is also celebrated by high school students and has become one of the deadliest nights of the year for drunk driving and alcohol poisoning.

Underage drinking is a major public health issue in the United States and locally. In 2023, excessive drinking accounted for 3,900 deaths in people under the age of 21, with males accounting for 75% of those deaths. Girls however have more recently out-paced boys in binge drinking rates nationally. According to the Pride Surveys administered to Scarsdale High School students in 2014, 2021 and 2024, alcohol remained the most widely used drug of choice for youth. Binge drinking, defined as 5 or mor standard drinks, accounts for 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism). In short, young people do not drink responsibly.

This year, Scarsdale parents are encouraged to take back Thanksgiving Eve and help protect our youth by spreading the word about the dangers of Blackout Wednesday and setting expectations for behavior. Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service and the SAY coalition encourage parents to have a conversation with their teens, including their college age children before they return home for break about their Thanksgiving Eve plans. Parents are encouraged to discuss the health, safety and legal consequences of underage drinking, including the dangers of alcohol poisoning and sexual assault.

The legal risks of possessing fake ID's should also be considered. Possessing fake ID’s is one of the primary ways underage youths obtain alcohol or obtain service at bars. Third party sales, where someone over 21 or someone with a “fake” purchases alcohol and knowingly resells it to underage youth, typically for a profit, is another.

So, let’s work together this Thanksgiving to ensure that this year’s holiday season is a safe and healthy experience for everyone. Thanksgiving is a holiday best celebrated sitting around a table of food, and not in the emergency department.

For more information about Blackout Wednesday or strategies to reduce underage drinking, please consider participating in the Scarsdale Action for Youth or contact Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service or any of the community’s Youth Outreach Workers.