Natchez &8212; Most teens aren&8217;t visiting the drug dealer down the street for their stash. It&8217;s coming from much closer sources &8212; friends, family, parents.

Though some use drug dealers, Youth Drug Court Director Marc Taylor said most of the court&8217;s participants get drugs from people they know.

&8220;From friends, usually older,&8221; he said. &8220;We get complaints from the parents that they are hanging out with them. We have had situations where it comes from the family, but those are rare cases.&8221;

Parents aren&8217;t knowingly buying drugs for their children, but it&8217;s a different story when it comes to alcohol, Trinity Episcopal Day School Head of School Delecia Carey said.

&8220;The parents&8217; solution is just don&8217;t drive,&8221; Carey said. &8220;So they go to extreme lengths to enable their children to drink and be safe from traffic.&8221;

Students and other school principals confirmed it is commonplace for parents to buy large quantities of alcohol for their teens and allow them to invite friends over to their house as long as they stay inside. Some parents lock them in and leave; others supervise.

But for teenagers with parents who object to underage drinking, there are still ways to get alcohol, Youth Court Judge John Hudson said. Older friends are common providers, and some teens simply give money to an adult lingering near a liquor store, asking him to do the buying.

Fake IDs are prevalent too, said Pat McDonough, owner of McDonough&8217;s Package Store in Vidalia.

&8220;They look exactly like your license, except in fine, fine writing it says &8216;this is not government issued,&8217;&8221; he said. &8220;I see them all the time.&8221;

High school seniors said they had no trouble getting alcohol at several over-18 bars and restaurants in Natchez.

&8220;It&8217;s not too terribly difficult for them to get it,&8221; Hudson said. &8220;The attitude about alcohol is what makes it so easy.&8221;