Study links ads to teenage drinking

A CLEAR link has been found between adverts for alcoholic products and increased teenage drinking, researchers said yesterday.

Researchers say the findings explode the myth that advertising merely persuades young people to switch brands and makes no contribution to the amount they drink.

Investigators in the US interviewed random samples of more than 4,000 young people aged 15-26. They found those who reported viewing more drink adverts drank more alcohol.