From: Stinkypouf@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 10:23 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: * RE: DOCKET # 99P-1340/CP 1 *

Reference: Docket Number 99P-1340/CP 1
Regarding: The Citizen's Petition requesting FDA-required warning labels on
fragrances.

 * * * * * * * * *

Consumer Plea:  My name is Katherine ...  I am 32 years old and hope that you 
understand the profound implications of the decision at hand.  I thank you 
for your earnest consideration of what I have to say.

Please forgive me for using all the CAPITALIZATION for emphasis.  You cannot 
hear my voice, so I am using what I have.

Unless you have been poisoned by a fragrance yourself, you can never imagine 
how horrible it is to be living in a world full of poisons that other people 
believe are safe, when your body consistently proves they are not.

These commonly used, and currently almost inescapable, substances are not 
safe, by ANY stretch of the imagination or ANY biased lab test.
  
FRAGRANCES (DANGEROUS CHEMICAL COMBINATIONS) are TOXIC and MUST BE LABELED.  
THE FDA is SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS TASK.  THE COMPANIES WILL NOT DO IT 
VOLUNTARILY.  PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING ... HORRIBLY. 

Most fragrances, chemical and synthetic fragrances, make me extremely ill.  
They cause incomprehensible suffering to me and many people I know.  It is 
not just me;  I meet more people every day who are made ill upon exposure to 
even small amounts of fragrance in the air, and scarily, the numbers of us 
seem to be increasing.

Most of the reason we are ill is because we DID NOT KNOW these things were 
bad for us (that they contain toxic and/or untested ingredients) until AFTER 
we were "sensitized" to them.  Why?  They were not labeled as such, among 
other reasons.

Let us be very clear here:  TOXIC means POISONOUS.  That is not up for 
debate.  It doesn't matter how pretty the bottle is, how slick the PR is, how 
greedy the manufacturer is OR how old the practice is.  Many of the 
ingredients are KNOWN carcinogens and neurotoxins, ESPECIALLY in combination 
with like substances and other chemicals (say, auto exhaust or printer fumes).

Also, people are so convinced these things are safe, that they CONTINUE TO 
USE THEM ON OR NEAR people who are made ill by them, because they DON'T 
BELIEVE these things have any toxic properties ... because they believe those 
type of things just wouldn't be so accepted commercially.  

But there is plenty of evidence that brain functions are altered (negatively) 
by unnatural fragrances (and many natural ones, too) ... including by SPECT 
scans, as well as millions of people's "anecdotal" experiences.

Americans generally trust their government, the FDA, and other "authorities". 
 Thus, anything that doesn't have a warning attached to it, is perfectly fine 
... sometimes, even if it makes them sick!  (For example, they "just get" 
headaches from stress, or for no reason at all, or because they are "weak".)

In fact, even when dangers are listed on labels, sometimes it doesn't help 
much because some Americans believe that those warnings are "just for show" 
... and also because they are led to believe that things are adequately 
tested before they can be sold.  That is NOT true.  Furthermore, things that 
ARE tested, are often not tested thoroughly or properly or truly 
independently.  We have to begin making a dent in this detrimental system!  
PLEASE!  YOUR CHILDREN AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN will thank you.  They will 
have a better chance.  They need what you have:  results of your power to 
make the right choice.

PLEASE do the right thing.  DO NOT BEND TO INDUSTRY.  So much damage has 
already been done solely because of bending to industry.  Do you serve human 
beings and society and the future, or industry?  Too often, industry totes 
itself as the future of society.  Yes, it is a BAD future.  Particularly 
without regulation and TOUGH CHOICES.

And one other thing:  Perfume is only one of the HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of 
things which is synthetically fragranced (you will be making a VERY important 
drop in the bucket, and you will be fought the whole way by industry):

Conditioner
Shampoo
Soap
Scented Candles
Dishwashing Detergent
Shaving Cream
Fabric Softener
Lollipops
Air Fresheners (one of the WORST)
Cleaners
Pesticides (they are considering BUBBLE GUM & CHERRY or something like that)
Tampons
Douches
Magazine Strips
ETC.

Thank you for doing the right thing.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart 
and pained lungs and SEVERE sore throat.  A severe sore throat, that is just 
ONE of the MANY things that fragrances do to me.  (Not essential oils or pure 
fragrances, but synthetics.)  Here are a few more:

Headache
Swollen Eyes
Irritability (Emotional?  NO, Central Nervous System Irritation)
Mucous Production and Post Nasal Drip
Confusion
Incoordination / Lack of Balance
Extreme Fatigue
Sore Joints and Weak Muscles
Mood Changes
Memory Problems

Sound fun?  Try it sometime, you'll HATE it.  With every bit of your being 
you will hate it.  Especially when you are perfectly healthy in clean air!

I AM FINE WHEN NOT EXPOSED.  FINE.  HEALTHY.  HAPPY.  BEAUTIFUL.  FREE. 
That is what we are supposed to be in this country:  FREE.  Give me back my 
freedom!

Other people's freedom to wear toxic fumes on their bodies STOPS AT THE TIP 
OF MY NOSE (the direct route to our brain and nervous system, remember).  You 
can't stop people from wearing "invisible weapons", but you can help make a 
difference in the quality of American life ... FOR EVERYONE.

Irritability, sore throats, headaches, allergies, confusion and other 
symptoms are a NUISANCE TO EVERYONE, no matter who has them.

I never even mentioned the climbing rate of athsma, especially in children.

Also, maybe "Grandma" could "take it" just fine, and lived to be 95 ... but 
there is a NEW AGE OF ILLNESS and each generation is suffering with more 
allegedly "unexplainable" illnesses (no matter the deceptive spins on modern 
health, like "but we're living longer!" etc.).  Something must be done.  
FDA-required warning labels on fragrances is just one of them.

Thank you.

Katherine K.
February 2001