A meeting between leaders of a New Hampshire youth group and a beer distributor whose employees reacted angrily to youths' placement of warning labels stuck on its products has led to amicable words about the groups working toward the same goal of preventing underage drinking, Foster's Daily Democrat reported Aug. 21.

An opinion column in the newspaper stated that with store owners in the community of Dover and the local police department both in support of Youth to Youth's annual sticker campaign, New Hampshire Distributors Inc. ultimately did not have much leverage in trying to block the campaign.

This year's effort, in which the youths placed stickers on alcohol packaging urging adult buyers to monitor children' access to the products, made headlines when employees of the distributor allegedly confronted youths and tore stickers from packaging at two supermarket locations.

After a meeting with Youth to Youth representatives, executives with New Hampshire Distributors released a statement saying, "We agree that underage drinking is dangerous and irresponsible and we think that together we can create a powerful image." The company officials also indicated that in the future the youths will notify the company of details of upcoming sticker campaigns.

Some observers have accused Youth to Youth of adopting overly militant tactics in their attempt to call attention to underage drinking, while others believe Dover police have maintained too close a relationship with the youth group.

Local students from Youth to Youth this week attended a national conference on underage drinking in Nashville, Tenn., where they were scheduled to present a number of workshops for prevention professionals and law enforcement officials.