A Wendy's fast-food ad depicting people inhaling helium and speaking in high-pitched voices has raised concerns among inhalant-prevention advocates, CADCA Coalitions Online reported Sept. 20.

The tag line for the ad is, "Filling up with just anything, that's wrong." But prevention experts say that showing people huffing -- even something as relatively benign as helium -- sends mixed messages to kids.

"It's providing people, both young kids and adults, with inappropriate messages that it's okay to put a gas or chemical in your body and that it's fun," said Harvey Weiss, director of the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition (NIPC). "Once again we are faced with a company and advertising agency not being aware of the potential harm of the inappropriate message being delivered to young people."

Carvel Ice Cream and Hallmark also have produced ads and other material depicting inhalation of helium in the past. NIPC has initiated a letter-writing campaign targeting Wendy's officials. A company official told the Associated Press on Sept. 19 that a small number of calls had been received but that there were no plans to pull the ad.