Alison Johnson has a new video coming out about the need for fragrance-free policies.
From her website:
Card available from Alison Johnson
Fragrance-Free Workplaces
“This film covers not only fragrance issues but also presents an overview of multiple chemical sensitivity. It features Dr. L. Christine Oliver, an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and former Co-Director of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. The film also contains footage of an interview with the former Commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Dr. Ronald R. Blanck. People with MCS in the film include Gulf War veterans and survivors of the 9/11 WTC attacks, as well as people from all walks of life.”
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You can watch the trailer here:
To learn more, and to download the full transcript, please visit the website.
Alison Johnson has a long history of working to make MCS understood. Her website has films, books, and resources that she has created, as well as links to further resources.
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12 reasons why is this more important than ever:
From Anne Steinemann’s 2016 US research:
Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11869-016-0442-z
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“Overall, 34.7 % of the population reported one or more types of adverse health effects from exposure to one or more types of fragranced products. The most common types of adverse effects were as follows:
- 18.6 % respiratory problems;
- 16.2 % mucosal symptoms;
- 15.7 % migraine headaches;
- 10.6 % skin problems;
- 8.0 % asthma attacks;
- 7.2 % neurological problems;
- 5.8 % cognitive problems;
- 5.5 % gastrointestinal problems;
- 4.4 % cardiovascular problems;
- 4.0 % immune system problems;
- 3.8 % musculoskeletal problems; and
- 1.7 % other.
Also:
20.2 % of the population reported that if they enter a business, and smell air fresheners or some fragranced product, they want to leave as quickly as possible.
and..
15.1 % of the general population reported that exposure to fragranced products in their work environment has caused them to become sick, lose workdays, or lose a job.
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(not to mention housing)
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From the just released Australian research:
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Health and societal effects from exposure to fragranced consumer products
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335516301449
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…”Finally, for public officials, the problem of “secondhand scents,” or indirect exposure to fragranced products, has parallels to secondhand tobacco smoke. Prevention from fragrance product exposure will enable individuals to work in their workplaces, attend school, and function in society without suffering involuntary harm.” …
Be fragrance-free. It’s good for you. It’s good for me.
Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution 
Very good, enlightening video: Fragrance Free Workplace – thank you!! Yours Aage Hegge Hansen MD Norway
Thanks for continuing to get the word out. I’m never certain how to answer when people I run into ask how I am. I think I finally have settled on the response: “When I am away from toxic chemicals I am well. When I am exposed to them I am not well.” Your post made me think of that because I recently saw someone I worked with and hadn’t seen since I became disabled. The whole need for a fragrance free policy wouldn’t be necessary anywhere if we made a clean fresh air policy mandatory everywhere. Hope your squirrels are fat and happy and your air is clean and pure.
Hoping one day soon we have the right to a healthy environment, instead of the right to pollute it.
Some of the squirrels are losing a bit of weight this week, because it’s hard to get through 16-20″ of snow! But I am feeding the ones who can get closer, and I even dug out a few paths near the trees and hedge to sprinkle nuts and seeds for them and the crows.
I bet if nature charged us for our usage we’d turn things around pretty quick. People get away with polluting because they don’t see the cost.
That, and industries are not only subsidized directly, but they also get to externalize all the other costs of the adverse effects their business causes.
The full video: