Focusing on the Network to Protect Our Rights to Use Natural Products

STOP THE FDA GLOBALIZATION ACT OF 2008

Time for a break from blogging again. Time to network more with the people around the globe who are aghast at the bad science, bad attitude and outright bias that International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and also the European Union (EU) are exhibiting towards natural perfume materials.

Just when natural products are enjoying a 20% annual rise in sales, and traditional products only 3-4% rise, they want to severely limit our access too these gorgeous, lovely natural aromatics. Yes, perhaps some essential oils or absolutes, if used in an excessive amount *may* cause a rash in in some people; wine causes allergies, too, but we don't see the EU limiting it, or banning it.

My time has been eaten up by the learning curve necessary to work on this. On Sunday I had to take a few hours to cobble together a printout for an esteemed ethnobotanist and natural perfumer because he is without a computer, and I couldn't just send him links to websites. I'm glad I took that time to work on getting almost 30 pages of information together for him, because there were two great outcomes: he notified very influential people, and the work I did gave birth to what I'm loosely calling the Primer on the IFRA and EU issues and the gathering rebellion against their ability to represent us, the users of natural materials. It will be revised soon, so check back at the Artisan Natural Perfumers Guild page where it is downloadable as a PDF.

I have many projects that have been neglected due to this call to arms in the naturals industry, and cutting out blogging is the best way to free up time and energy. The 1200+ members of my natural perfumery yahoo group will be kept up to date on a more regular basis. See you in a naturally-fragrant future, where, hopefully, the devious powers in the IFRA and EU circle will be kicked back on their Machiaeveillian butts and sanity, logic and good science will reign without the threat of their Walmart-like tactics to put the little guy out of business so they can move in and take over the town (20% increase in annual sales). It's all comes down to money and power, and manipulating the press.

We're going to respond with ethical, positive actions, like networking via transcontinental phone hookups to brainstorm; finding key industry movers and shakers at big events like this weekend's Natural Products Expo in California, where 2,600 vendors and 43,000 attendees are expected. The revolution against Totalitarian government control of our access to essential oils, absolutes and CO2 extracts of plants is starting, and I hope the halls of Brussels hear the opening salvo of the cannon of dissent being aimed their way, and that it thunders and echos with a sound that keeps them awake at night. Their reign of terror over small business, in the guise of overweening "Big Brother" protectionism is about to be shaken to its core.

The network is spreading, the lights are being flicked on worldwide as to illuminate the machinations of IFRA and the EU, and it will light every corner of their corrupt empires.