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Silver Coke Bottles
The promotion of 600ml silver Diet Coke bottles in 2003 was a fairly big issue in Australia.
Chroming is the name for sniffing/inhaling metallic paints usually through a bottle or a bag.
For me it was a personal issue.
A lot of homeless kids I knew sniffed silver paint. Some of them were as young as 9 and some were even young adults who would rely on chroming to help them 'escape,' especially when they were broke.
One spray can could easily be shared between a large number of people and last the whole day.
One streetkid I knew was 15 year old Shady, who gave me permission to take his photo.
@ 2001 National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
Unfortunately it appears much of the documents and campaign material I created no longer exists. Nor any records of when Coke's promotions commenced or ended and any of the feedback in regards to my campaign efforts.
Except for one letter to journalist Kate from The West Australian Newspaper who was helping me put my voice out there. To make my campaign known.
The following resources were not made available during my 2003 campaign but I have listed them in case you would like to learn more or find ways to help those who resort to sniffing, chroming, inhaling etc
About Inhalant Abuse for Health and Community Workers (2003). Department of Human Services. State
Chroming and Young People in Queensland Report (2003). Youth Affairs Network Queensland
Chroming: There's No Silver Lining (2008). Sarah Hicks. ABC Tropical North
Inhalants (2018). Better Health Channel. Victoria State Government
Inhalants Booklet (2001). Paul Dillon. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
Further Reading