SHOULD FRAGRANCE BE BANNED?

Health care is one area where fragrance bans are appropriate. Given the very nature of health care, it is very likely that patients that are adversely impacted by fragrance will be encountered on a daily basis. Fragrance can pose a barrier to accessing health care for those that are severely sensitive. Those that are already ill are even more susceptible.

Except in specific circumstances such as health care, such simplistic answers to complex problems are rarely helpful. Drawing hard lines on controversial topics increase misunderstandings and interferes with suitable solutions being reached.  I would like to think that education and increased awareness, civility and common courtesy on the part of users of scented products, and a responsible fragrance industry could solve most of the problems. 

Hopefully the bitter battles that have occurred regarding smoking will not be repeated with fragrance. To avoid this, there must be a concerted effort on the part of the fragrance industry to responsibly address concerns. So far this has not been forthcoming. It would seem that the fragrance industry would learn from the mistakes of the tobacco industry.