Visual Culture and Health Posters

Title:: Sniffing Markers Destroys Your Brain

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Description:

This poster is part of a series in a very different kind of public health campaign inspired by toxic chemicals. Created by the Texas Prevention Partnership (TPP), which was founded in 1990 by the Entertainment Industries Council and Harvey Weiss, the posters address the alarming trend of "huffing"--the inhaling of CFCs, Freon, household cleaning products, and other toxic chemicals for a quick high. At the time, inhalant abuse was gaining popularity at a staggering rate in the state of Texas and surrounding areas. Following a massive campaign that included the distribution of bilingual posters and radio and television public service announcements, Texas saw an immediate decline in the number of deaths from inhalant abuse, and between 1990 and 1994 there was a reduction of more than 32 percent in elementary school inhalant use and a reduction of about 20 percent at the high school level. This work inspired TPP to found and lead the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition.

The adolescent boy in this photograph is distinguished by the red magic marker scribbled on his forehead. The image works effectively as a visual representation of the textual message in the title, which warns plainly, "Sniffing markers destroys your brain." Accompanied by the caption, "Sniffing stuff like spray paint or markers can cause brain damage, lung damage, even death," the poster succinctly and symbolically expresses the risks associated with the inhalant.

Number of Image Pages:

1 (707,153 Bytes)

Date:

1991

Creator:

Texas Prevention Partnership

Source:

Original Repository: The History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection.

This image may also be accessed from the Images from the History of Medicine (IHM).

URL: http://wwwihm.nlm.nih.gov/

IHM Order Number: C00179

Publisher:

Texas Prevention Partnership

Rights:

Reproduced with permission of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition.

Subject:

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH):: Inhalation Exposure; Public Health

Visual Culture and Public Health Keywords:: Chemical Exposure

Exhibit Category:

Environmental Health

Relation:

Sniffing Correction Fluid Can Stop Your Heart (1991)

Sniffing Spray Paint Destroys Your Lungs (1991)

We'd Like to Introduce You to the Cocaine of the 90s. Your Child May Already Be Familiar (1994)

Unless You Know What to Look for, the Signs of Sniffing Inhalants Are Almost Invisible (1994)

This Ad Will Tell You Things about Sniffing Inhalants Your Child Probably Won't (1994)

Unique Identifier:

VCBBDK

Document Type:

Posters

Slides (photographs)

Language:

English

Format:

image/jpeg

image/tif

Physical Condition:

Good

Metadata Last Modified Date:

2004-02-02

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