Manu Caddie, who has worked with Gisborne’s youth for a number of years, said alcohol advertising had played some part in the alcohol abuse we were seeing among today’s youth.

But the issue was a lot wider and society’s reinforcement of having to drink to have a good time was still the major issue.

His comments follow an announcement by researchers at the Public Health Association’s annual conference early this week, saying that marketing of alcohol to young people was leading to more deaths of young New Zealanders.

Mr Caddie said he did not think that alcohol advertising was being aimed at youth per se, but nevertheless restricting advertising could help to reduce the number who abused alcohol.

"It should be more restricted," he said.

"It would be easy for the District Council to put a ban on advertising."

Mr Caddie said such a ban would prevent huge billboards promoting alcohol from being put up around Gisborne.

It was a case of passing the appropriate law and recognising that alcohol abuse among the youth of Gisborne was a problem.

Massey University health researcher Tim McCreanor told the Palmerston North conference that the number of alcohol- related injuries and deaths among young New Zealanders had increased since 2000.

Mr McCreanor said it was no coincidence that this increase had occurred since the drinking age was lowered to 18.

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