Addicted: The Anti-Scentites by Marlen Harrison

[Grant]

The Anti-Scentites
by Marlen Harrison

Could a downtrodden industry be hatching a fiendish plot?

At the end of May, a proposal was made in Ottawa that was by all means indecent. Sure, Canada has led the way towards progress these past few years by allowing folks to actually smoke a little marijuana during their gay weddings. But to actually propose a city-wide ban on fragrances and scented products? Well, that’s just sad, really. Jake Rupert of the Ottawa Citizen writes, “Under the proposal made by a citizens' committee on the environment, a public education program aimed at getting people to voluntarily stop using the scents would be followed by a mandatory ban in all city buildings, on transit, and at sports and community centres.” Nothing scented at a sports centre? Not even some Right Guard? How about disinfectant for the locker rooms? A mandatory ban on fragrance – hmmm. I mean, sure…there may be certain people who are prone to allergies triggered by the chemicals used to scent cleaning products and cosmetics…and then there are those who claim that their asthma is affected…not to mention the migraine headaches and itchy eyes, but to force everyone to stop scenting themselves? I believe it can only be a fiendish plot to strike terror into the hearts of all Calvin Klein-loving fragrance users by that radical, puritanical group, the Anti-Scentites....

Read on...
http://www.basenotes.net/columnists/addicted-oct06.html

[Scentronic]

What an utterly retarded proposal. What is this Nazi Germany? What kind of whiney little hypochondriac would feel justified telling other people that they have no right to wear a fragrance?!

This outrages me and I don't even live in Canada. I would tear that F*cking sign down the second I saw it.

[Scentronic]

I've got sensitive eyes. I propose that every public building, object, person etc in America strip the paint off of themselves or wear grey clothing, so as not to hurt my fragile little eyes. A government-approved medium grey should make everyone happy, right? Every building, every piece of clothing, every car. Grey. Sound fun?

[keylogic]

Any link to the article?

[Marcello]

great column, Marlen. Discussing this matter on Basenotes is a bit like "preaching for one's own congregation", as they would say in Dutch, but you make some valid points.

Since the late 80s several scholars have addressed this phenomenon of deodorization, which seems to occur mainly in Western societies. I don't see it as a rational response to (psycho)fysiological phenomena, but rather as a cultural tendency, in which the preoccupation with cleanliness plays a big role. Besides it being technically unachievable and economically undesirable, I think that banning the use of fragrance altogether would prove to be an ineffective measure against said sensitivities and allergies. Proper scientific evidence will need to set the record straight.

[Brut]

What's next, a ban on public farting.

[Brut]

Not that I like to fart that much in Public.

Hey!, I'll hold one for the team.

[badaim]

Hmm...I wonder what other students would think when their peers walk into their class after gym class without deodorant? <_<

[HackerX]

I heard there's going to be a ban on Axe in public schools in Toronto. If that's the case i really dont have anything against it as these students are poinsoning everybody with these sprays. However, it's not a good sign for the other fragrance wearers that the authorities are taking notice, soon it could move to the general public. Looks like i'd have to stay out of the country permanently if i were to go around freely without getting arrested. I think overall, most people just dont understand the meaning of "easy on the trigger", thus, ruining the reputation of us who still live by the law. It's sad, truly is.

[Scentronic]

Just to clarify, this is the most current article on the main page of Basenotes.com

I wonder if the kids are making flammable toys/bombs/weapons with the axe products.

[Grant]

Originally Posted by perfectfeet

I would tear that F*cking sign down the second I saw it.

Hey! I spent ages making that in Photoshop and you want to tear it down ?

[Scentronic]

Lol, I didn't know it wasn't real!

[myaccolades]

I believe we've had this discussion before a couple months back and my standing stays the same: I don't give a flying-.

Ahem. The notion of the ban of fragrances - which is impossible - is completely ridiculous. This entire world is full of fragrant things and the only way for them to really ban fragrances is to destroy everyone's sense of smell. I live in Toronto and if they try to ban fragrances in my city, well, I say screw'em. I'll still wear my fragrances and they can't do a THING about it. You know why? There are so many reasons a person might smell:

"I'm sorry but that's not Green Irish Tweed you're smelling, someone pushed me into a big pile of LEGAL greens and fruits and I came out smelling like this... sorry."

or

"No, no, sir. I'm not wearing a fragrance. It's my personal body odour. I ate an immense amount of spices, flowers, and woods last night in specific proportions and for some reason, my body is exuding this smell today! It's my body odour, I swear. I'm afraid it's a one time occurance so you can't test me by having me reproduce these results for you a second time. Sorry *shrugs shoulders*"

I've read many of these articles and theses Anti-Scentites are just out of their minds. The WORST of them though are those who say "I can't stand ANY fragrance! I get allergies and I'm going to die! Oh, but I CAN stand this one fragrance that, you know, that I wear myself."

Anyways, that's all I've to say right now.

[MadScientist]

How could this possibly be enforced?

How could it be proven that someone is wearing a scented product?

If you're "charged" with the crime of being scented, can you appeal? How would you prove the absence of a scent...especially later when it would be gone even if it were there to begin with?

What if someone intentionally over-spritzes themselves and goes running through a mall? Scenterrorist!

Scent officer: "Excuse me sir. You smell too nice. I'm going to have to give you a citation."

If you were stopped on the street by an officer and told you had been identified as wearing a fragrance (and you are), what if you just run away? Would the officers even bother to come after you? Would they call in reinforcements?

What about repeat offenders? Would you eventually get thrown in jail for multiple offenses?

1st convict: Hey buddy, what are you in for?
2nd convict: Serial fragrance wearing.

[Cognoscento]

Great article, Marlen, as always!
This is very discouraging. I live near Ottawa, and enjoy going there sometimes, and I even have a BN friend there. It's generally a great place.

Banning frags is generally a stupid idea, though it may come from good intentions. I'd agree that perfume may bother some people, and even give them allergic reactions. But it's too little, too late anyway - if you've done any reading on environmental toxicity, you'll discover that harmful chemicals are everywhere, acid rain being a great example. When you add up all the things that are rife in the environment, it increases all kinds of problems, including allergies, asthma, on and on.

So eliminating perfume will do nothing to solve this problem. But it's a simple thing that politicians and constituents can understand. Science is not easy for them to understand. Short of governments having leadership and reducing toxin production, the individual has to take steps with their own health to reduce toxins in their own body and increase resistance. Then the body will not react so easily to every stimulus.

Next time I head up to Ottawa, I'm going to layer Envy, Visit, M7, and Rive Gauche all at once to lay down some SERIOUS stank!!!

[Cognoscento]

Originally Posted by Basenotes Admin

Hey! I spent ages making that in Photoshop and you want to tear it down ?

But, but, but, Grant....
You mean that sign wasn't real??????? Say it ain't so, Joe!!!

[Hex_queen]

I've seen studies that basically find that either the scent-nazis are heavy, bored, white middle-aged females, or that when the scientists test the self-annointed super-sensitives and expose them to the allergens --BUT in a way to not alert them--say, without scent---THEY DON'T REACT, no physical symptoms. How funny is that?

Now, a lot of Drs won't set these people straight because it'd be bad for business and they're afraid of getting even a bogus lawsuit.

I have friends, and my sister that seem to get a subtle power trip over making others jump through their hoops.
My sister can wilt with the vapors and drive my mother demand that I "wash off whatever THAT is". She doesn't act this way to anybody in public, or in the family.
My 50-ish female friends used to be really beastly in restaurants/shops, nasty to the staff over any incense or odor in the business. --All that ended when my friends lost a ton of weight, got a face-tuneup---now they are too busy having fun & tearing up the town to even think about it. No more angry, theatrical coughing or huffy comments.
The local portland community college has offices blocked off to scent-wearers, and with signs up all over "Scent-Free Zone", in the bathrooms, etc.
One gal that came to a friend's party, she was going on-&-on about her super-sensitive daughter, all wild-eyed, venomous and down-right-scary. They'd de-scented all the kids in her highschool, by threatening to sue the school, no scented products of any sort. Momma was not in a relationship, a secretarial subsistance job. The teenager would cut school anytime she encountered a smell, and come cling to Momma at work.

NONE of these folks seem to object to food smells of any sort---they enjoy food smells, and love to eat--a lot.