An exhibit focusing on tobacco will open at the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library on May 15th.
The tobacco industry has been selling smoke in America and other countries for well over a century. From sultry ladies to Santa, tobacco advertisers slickly packaged smoking in a variety of ways to lure consumers to different brands. Using celebrity spokespeople, touting health benefits, sponsoring racing and other sports, employing product placement, and creating games with prizes are just a small sampling of the ways smoking was sold.
"Selling Smoke" will exhibit a wide array of tobacco advertising from the William Van Duyn collection of magazine advertisements, ephemera, articles, and photographs. Anti-smoking campaign materials from a variety of public health organizations, multiple U.S. Surgeon Generals, and others will also be on display, tracing worldwide efforts to stamp out smoking.
The exhibit will be on display until August 12th and it is free and open to the public.