At the very least, clinical trials need to be done that ascertain the safety of products with fragrance.

We get a lot of concerns from businesses, visitors about perceptions of public safety about neighborhoods in downtown. We wanted to hold this to educate people about how complex this problem is and what initiatives are going on to help deal with street-civility issues.

Simply absorbing products can cause problems that affect the lungs and skin. And the main cause of contact dermatitis - which can result in rashes or hives - is a reaction to fragrances that you find in cosmetics and laundry products.

The issue is that fragrance formulas are generally trade secrets, so there really is little pressure on companies to identify the chemical makeup of their products on a label.

We hope (Rounds) recognizes this for what it is: a political tool and not about the health and safety of the women of South Dakota.

My highest priority is the safety of all Oregonians and their communities.