FERRIDAY, La. – The Louisiana Alliance to Prevent Underage Drinking and the Town of Ferriday will sponsor a forum on underage drinking before Christmas in the Concordia Parish town, alliance officials said Monday.

The purpose of the forum will be to bring local leaders, youth and the public at large together to brainstorm ways to limit the access youth have to alcohol, said Kathy Fletcher, a Ferriday native who recently joined the alliance as a communications coordinator.

&uot;We met with Ferriday officials last week to discuss the problem of underage drinking and to see how we could assist them,&uot;&160;Fletcher said.

A specific date has not been set for the forum, but Fletcher said the alliance will help Ferriday organize the event at the request of town officials. The forum could be duplicated in other areas if it is successful.

Sharon Ayers, state project director for the alliance, said that while underage drinking is a nationwide problem, the Miss-Lou is &uot;a real crisis area.&uot;

&uot;The price of alcohol is lower there than in many parts of the state, and there is more access,&uot; Ayers said. &uot;Kids are getting alcohol after school. Kids are having parties and adults are supplying alcohol. We’re going to really have to pull the community together to collectively reduce (underage) access to alcohol.&uot;

The American Medical Association considers the underage drinking problem &uot;a crisis in upcoming years,&uot;&160;she added.

Ferriday has already taken other steps to reduce the access youth have to alcohol, Ayers said.

For example, the town has ordinances barring those under 21 from entering bars, while other areas allow those 18 and over to enter bars.

Alex Promise, administrative assistant to Mayor Glen McGlothin, requested the alliance’s help but could not be reached for comment Monday.