Dear Editor,
Cynthia Canter has written at least three letters expressing her frustration over the lack of compliance with the smoking ban on campus. She is especially concerned about the violation of the ban because of her severe asthma and the health consequences that she has faced as the result of being unable to avoid exposure to cigarette smoke.
As a smoker, I don’t love the smoking ban, but I understand it, I am compliant and I urge fellow smokers to comply also.
What I find unfortunate about Ms. Canter’s letters is that she pleads with the campus community not only to abide by the smoking ban but to avoid wearing cologne and perfume, as the scents that come from such products also aggravate her condition. While I am empathetic to Ms. Canter’s health condition, I think that her request for her classmates to avoid wearing cologne and perfume is an unreasonable one.
Ms. Canter seems to ignore the fact that college is not just for getting an education – it is also the place many people expect to attract a mate. A powerful component of attraction is smell. The sense of smell is more strongly associated with memory than any other sense – having a unique smell makes us memorable.
There is amply documented evidence indicating that members of relationships often seek comfort by curling up with an article of clothing previously worn by a partner. Women have been documented in a number of psychological investigations to be able to differentiate their male partners’ scents from the scents of other men, and the preference for a partner’s scent encourages feelings of romantic love for that partner.
Further, as a culture, Americans are particularly afraid of the way their bodies smell and it is a widely socially accepted practice to smell like something other than ourselves. Long and short – the way we smell is inextricably linked to the way we relate to other people.
To paraphrase Coco Chanel, perfume is one of the most important accessories a woman can wear. It should, of course, be subtle and elegant (as is true of men’s scents as well).
So, while I have tremendous empathy for all members of the ETSU community who struggle with asthma and similar conditions, I think it is important for us all to recognize that there must be a balance struck in our community between preserving health and having the opportunity express individuality and experience romance.
-Carrie M. Oliveira

Author