Linner failed out of college. His parents took him to a treatment center in Arizona and told him to get help or make it on his own, something he said he knew he couldn't do.

After three years in recovery, he's now sober and working in the treatment field.

His story spotlights how underage drinking can quickly -- and unexpectedly -- spiral into dangerous behavior and alcoholism.

It was one of several messages delivered at a first-of-its-kind "town hall meeting" on underage drinking at the Saratoga Springs Public Library on Friday morning, an event that featured local prevention experts, school officials, students and police.

There, students and counselors said alcohol is accessible at home or through older siblings, that drinking is too often condoned or considered inevitable by parents and that drinking and driving is not uncommon. They also said kids as young as 11 are being exposed.

"It's becoming more and more accepted," said Liz D'Agostino, a senior at Saratoga Springs High School who shared her views as a member of a student panel. "You don't look at kids who drink and say those are the bad kids anymore."

Recent statistics show drinking is common among local high school students.

In a 2006 survey, more than 60 percent of Saratoga Springs students in the 12th grade reported drinking within the previous 30 days, and nearly 50 percent said they binge drink. The survey was conducted by the Saratoga Partnership for Prevention. Both figures are above the national average.

Last fall, in response to the survey, school administrators, parents and students organized a youth drinking summit to discuss how they would rein in the number of students who drink.

Since then, parent and student groups have been formed to develop ways to attack the issue -- mailings to parents, a new ninth-grade orientation program, and creating a network of "safe houses" where parents have pledged not to serve alcohol.

"We're shooting a lot of arrows at a lot of targets," said Janice White, the superintendent of the Saratoga Springs City School District.

Friday's meeting wasn't a direct offshoot of the summit, but rather one of hundreds of similar town hall meetings being hosted in communities across the country and funded by the federal government.

Judy Ekman, the executive director of the Saratoga Prevention Council, said the meetings are intended to create a dialogue on the issue of underage drinking, which she categorized as a "huge public health problem."

"People look at this as an individual issue, but it permeates everyone at every level," she said.

The discussion comes as high school prom and graduation season approaches -- a time when students and parents alike may look to alcohol as a way to celebrate.

"It's as joyful a time as any for the students, which means we the adults really have to be more mindful of establishing those boundaries," White said.

The Saratoga County District Attorney's office, in preparation for the season, has launched "Operation Hotel Check Out," which encourages hotel employees to report parties with underage drinking.

The program also involves sting operations by police targeting alcohol retailers in the region.

District Attorney James Murphy said those efforts need to be augmented by mindful parents, who need to "get it out of their heads" that their kids are going to divulge their underage drinking habits.

He also warned that providing alcohol to minors leaves parents legally liable.

Allowing drinking to happen at home -- in what may be viewed as a safe and supervised setting -- sends a mixed message to young people, Murphy said.

"It doesn't connect; they just hear the part that says it's OK," he said.