Carlos,
Thanks for the kick-off scent posting.
Recently, the current Mrs MTF and I were walking down quaint old streets in Penang and Singapore with old roots to Arab traders. We were surprised to see (in the 21st century) old shops where one can blend your own parfum from myriads of essences, spice, herbs and oils. or at least someone with a much bigger (and presumably expert) nose would do it for a fee.
On the other hand, too much scent (even those classed as "nice") can be cloying. Together with power dressing came 'Overpowering Scenting'. In the 1980s, 'Giorgio' was banned from some restaurants for overpowering the food !
In 2000, Halifax, Canada became the first major city in North America to ban the wearing of all cosmetic fragrances in most indoor public places; including municipal offices, libraries, hospitals, classrooms, courts, and mass transit buses. It declared underarm deodorant, herbal shampoos, colognes, and other scented products to be hazardous to public health -- or at least too politically incorrect. There was concern for people discomforted by fragrances and the damage to the environment.
In the United States, Marin County, Calif., also has a similar law on scents in civic places.
At the heart of the "issue" is a so-called syndrome called 'Multiple Chemical Sensitivity' (MCS), also known as 'environmental illness'. Sufferers claim that the presence of chemicals has a cumulative effect that causes some individuals to become violently ill at the slightest whiff of any scent.
Most physicians and researchers do not recognize Multiple Chemical Sensitivity as a true organic disease. Specialists say some people do suffer severely from exposure to perfumes and scented cosmetics, but the reasons are unproven and the reactions..."do not appear to be caused by genuine physical allergies, much less poisoning".
I'm a physician and medical researcher with a modicum of experience at "exposing test subjects with chemicals". I keep an open mind but have NOT yet been convinced of MCS as a real organic disease. Indeed, smells have deep and meaningful effects on the psyche...as in 'Mom's apple pie', '1st girlfriend's hair' and even a bad association sort of way. Certain bad memories and smells almost make me puke 
warm Barcadi Rum is one.......
I definitely would ban 'Giorgio' from my restaurant if I were the chef de cuisine as a weapon of nose destruction ! 'Opium' would not be far behind on the list....although that evokes the memory of 'Miss A'.....sigh.......
Regards,
MTF
