And in many ways, so was the town hall meeting at which she spoke about the need to talk with teens about the dangers of drug and alcohol use before they are offered the chance to experiment with the substances.

"We need to encourage our children before it happens to them so they already have the answer about what to do," Huntsman told the crowd of about 100.

The meeting at the University of Utah's Fine Arts Building auditorium was one of several community gatherings held across the state as part of a national campaign to raise awareness about the affects of underage drinking.

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson said the human brain continues to develop into the mid-20s. Drugs and alcohol can impair the development of logic, reasoning and impulsive behavior functions, he said.

Up to 67 percent of young people who drink before the age of 15 will also experiment with an illicit drug, said the mayor. Alcohol poisoning deaths claimed the lives of 1,700 young people nationally in 2005. The epidemic cost U.S. taxpayers $53 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity last year, he said.

"Young people who begin drinking at age 15 or younger have a 40 percent chance of becoming alcohol dependent later in life," Anderson said. "We are seeking to do everything we can to delay alcohol use until at least the legal age of 21."

The meeting drew response from the community as well as panel members Kelly Lundberg of the university's psychology department, Pat Fleming of the county division of substance abuse and Sim Gill, Salt Lake City prosecutor, and Doug Murakami, deputy director of alcohol education for the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

mwestley@sltrib.com