After a lengthy debate, the board voted 7-2 to reverse itself, scrapping the policy that allowed 17 percent of all the ads in the BART system to promote beer, wine and spirits.

"I would like to thank the audience for their passion on this issue," said Director Gail Murray.

Murray, who represents parts of Contra Costa County, voted against the policy last month when it originally came before the board. She placed it on the agenda for reconsideration after being asked by the Marin Institute, a nonprofit group that bills itself as an alcohol industry watchdog.

The institute persuaded the boards of supervisors of San Francisco and Contra Costa counties to write letters asking the BART board to revoke the policy, largely on the grounds that alcohol ads help drive young people to drink. It also started an Internet-based letter-writing campaign and galvanized opposition from community and youth groups, many of which sent activists to the Thursday meeting in Oakland.

"We're not asking this board to eliminate the problem of underage drinking in the Bay Area," said Joan Kiley of the Alcohol Policy Network in Berkeley. "We're just asking what is in your power to do and that is to not allow alcohol ads on BART."

The alcohol advertisements would have brought an

$3 million ad revenue.

The board first considered allowing alcohol advertisements in September, after it was told of a 30-year, $2.6 billion capital budget deficit, said Director Lynette Sweet.

"It was probably not a good idea," said Sweet, who voted in favor of the policy in September but against it Thursday.

She chided the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for opposing BART's policy while the city's Muni light rail system allows 10 percent of its ads to be for alcohol, although the San Francisco board is expected to reconsider that policy when the advertisement contract expires next year.

Anti-alcohol abuse and other groups complained to the BART board Thursday that images of alcohol are already common in movies, television shows, video games, billboards and other media young people see.

Allowing booze pitches on BART, they argued, would contribute to the pervasive problem of alcohol abuse among the young.

"Is it really worth it?" asked Naomi Williams, a member of the Richmond-based West County Alcohol Policy Working Group. "We believe this is a poor fit, not a profit for BART."

Two directors, Tom Radulovich and Zoyd Luce, voted against rescinding the policy.

"Alcohol ads are a silly, childish, immature way to form a crusade," Luce said, likening opposition to the ads to Prohibition.

Radulovich has said he is opposed to any advertising on BART. But because the system allows ads for other things that "are bad for you," such as SUVs, junk food, and violent movies and video games, he doesn't think the board should draw the line at alcohol products.

He noted that the policy forbade ads that promote any illegal activity such as underage drinking and suggested that the BART staff could develop guidelines to screen alcohol ads that use cartoon characters or other images that target young people.

The alcohol decision is not the first advertisement policy that has drawn criticism of BART.

Abortion-rights supporters last year lambasted the board for allowing anti-abortion ads on the system. Many were ripped down or defaced.

BART officials said those ads were permitted under the First Amendment because they were political "point of view" ads. They have since been taken down because the contract, paid for by the Respect Life Ministry of the Oakland Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, expired.