Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Like plenty of other teenagers, Vera is drawn by the allure of alcohol. She starts drinking a lot after Charlie's death. She's not just doing it to have fun or party, though, she's using it as a coping mechanism to help numb the pain she feels. She says:
I had no idea how much it would hurt my throat, but loved the way it made me feel a minute later as I sat on the toilet, pondering the tiled floor. Warm. Happy. Safe. (2.1.26)
Alcohol represents an easy escape from facing harsh realities. Vera uses it to ignore the facts of Charlie's death and to avoid working through her feelings about it, while her dad used alcohol to escape his fears that he was a loser who couldn't provide for his family. It is only when he stops drinking and tackles his actual fears that he's able to turn his life around. Ken tells us:
I've warned Vera about the drinking genes, but she acts like its funny [...] I just wish I could give her a ticket to pass Go faster. (2.11.26)
Ken knows that once you fall into addiction, it's not that easy to dig yourself out. He wants to make sure that Vera never has to learn things the hard way like he did. Fortunately for her, she seems to wise up faster than her pops did, realizing that the way forward is to address her pain and clear Charlie's name instead of disappear into the bottle every day.