About 40 members of the community asked questions, raised concerns and gave opinions to a panel comprising a police officer, doctor, counsellors and a Wakatipu High School pupil in the Queenstown Memorial Hall.
Adult participants criticised lowering the age of buying alcohol to 18 for making drinking alcohol socially acceptable at a younger age.
Parents, employers and club leaders should show more "host responsibility" when making alcohol available, they said.
Others recalled "drink to drop" parties from their youth.
Master of ceremonies Merv Aoake said his generation had experienced that culture but had done nothing to change it.
Resident Jeff Williams said youth attending "vomit rooms" seemed to be considered a prize for pupils at the high school after-ball party, and he thought it was tragic.
Senior pupil Alice Sheehy said "time-out rooms" operated at the parties, while Public Health South health promoter Ann Fowler said the after-ball party was one of the safest events young people could attend because of alcohol restrictions, parents attending, and the changing of the event to a dinner and dance function.
High school head boy James Aoake said he had seen 11 or 12-year-old children drunk in the resort.
Young people were influenced by elder siblings and parents, he said.
Some of the nine young people attending said alcohol was associated with a good time and some youth blamed how they behaved on drink.
In "party town Queenstown", and in sports clubs, they were exposed to the drinking culture early, they said.
Parents who supplied limited amounts of alcohol to their teenagers could help them to understand how to consume responsibly, "so you don't go out at 18 and completely lose it", Miss Sheehy said.
Queenstown Police Liquor Licensing Sergeant Keith Newell said it was not unknown for youth to persuade adults to buy alcohol for them, but a lot of alcohol consumed came from home.
Queenstown Lakes District councillor Cath Gilmour asked if there was research on the adult outcomes of binge-drinking at youth.
But Wakatipu Abuse Prevention Network drugs and alcohol counsellor Tangi Hepi questioned whether statistics would help young people make decisions, and thought information relevant to their way of thinking was more appropriate.
Organisers of Face Off '09, the Queenstown Youth Access To Alcohol Committee, will use the forum feedback when it reviews its Parent Pack, scheduled for release later this year.
