By on November 5, 2007

airfresh-72dpi.jpgIf you use a tree-shaped car freshener, you either suffer from an overdeveloped sense of irony (fuzzy dice not  good enough?), share your motor with malodorous mates, or conduct mass murderer in the grand style of the  feature film "Se7en.". And if you're a smoker who uses a dangly car freshener to mask your habit, man, are you living dangerously. According to the German blog Autogazette, the head of the German association of Ear, Nose and Throat Doctors, warns that drivers who smoke multiply their chance of  developing cancer if they use a car freshener. "The gases of those 'friendly imitation trees' combine with particulates from tobacco  smoke," Michael Jaumann asserts. "Together, they are much more inclined to deposit themselves in the human body." Not without reason are deaths from cancer of the  throat and the mouth on the increase for German males, says Jaumann. He did not specify whether the "crowns" so popular among Euro cabbies were also toxic, but you just know they are.

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10 Comments on “Tree Fresheners: Don’t Smoke and Smell...”


  • avatar
    KatiePuckrik

    “The head of the German association of Ear, Nose and Throat Doctors, warns that drivers who smoke multiply their chance of developing cancer if they use a car freshener.”

    That’s a bit like saying “People who are running for their life through a burning building are more likely to get a splinter due to the falling wood”.

    I can’t help but think they’re missing the point, somewhat?

  • avatar
    quasimondo

    Well, I assume that if a smoker removes the air freshener before lighting up, and replace it immediately after they’re done smoking, they should be just fine.

    I think I can make a fine buck or two selling air freshener holders so you can place your little tree outside the car while you toke up.

  • avatar

    I think I can make a fine buck or two selling air freshener holders so you can place your little tree outside the car while you toke up.

    Nah! Think Ziploc baggie.

    John

  • avatar
    SunnyvaleCA

    California has this one covered. We already have a law against blocking the view through the front windshield.

  • avatar
    carlisimo

    We do? Tons of people hang tassels, fuzzy dice, little boxing gloves, CD’s (don’t understand that one), or other little decorations here in CA.

  • avatar

    I guess Ronald Reagan was right – trees can kill after all.

  • avatar
    shaker

    Oh well, one less tree for me to “hug”.

  • avatar
    NickR

    the “crowns” so popular among Euro cabbies

    Oh no!!! Not there too! The virus has spread.

  • avatar
    burgermind

    There’s more bad news:

    “The September study by the Natural Resources Defense Council assessed 14 of the most popular air freshener brands and found that 12 contained phthalates, chemicals that can cause hormonal abnormalities, birth defects and reproductive problems.

    […]

    Frequent contact with phthalates can cause cancer, affect fertility, and decrease testosterone and sperm levels in infants, possibly resulting in malformed sex organs. Solomon said the chemicals usually are found in paints, cosmetics and nail polishes and are added to air fresheners to carry the scent and keep it suspended in the air.

  • avatar
    NickR

    CD’s (don’t understand that one)

    There is an urban legend that this somehow defeats police radar. It doesn’t.

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