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The Case Against Fluoride
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FAN US & CANADIAN LEADERS
If you would like to start or join a local campaign to end fluoridation please first use our State and Regional Coordinator map to locate a FAN coordinator near you. If one does not exist in your area, then please contact our Campaign Manager.
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Greetings!
On August 4th, 2012, the state of New Hampshire will become the first state to require fluoridating communities to warn their citizens about the fluorosis risk the additive poses to infants. This past week, Governor John Lynch signed HB1416, "an act relative to a required fluoride statement." The law will require the following notice on all consumer confidence reports, which must be mailed to all water consumers, be posted online, and available at city halls:
"Your public water supply is fluoridated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if your child under the age of 6 months is exclusively consuming infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated water, there may be an increased chance of dental fluorosis. Consult your child's health care provider for more information."
This new law is a proactive approach to reducing NH fluorosis rates by notifying parents about the risk posed to their infants by fluoridated water. Not only should the law cause more parents to take preventative action by reducing infant fluoride exposure, but it should also inspire them to question why this toxic substance is in their tap water in the first place if it isn't safe for infant consumption. This marks a point when the State of New Hampshire has officially recognized that fluoridated water poses a risk to NH infants; a risk backed up by countless studies and a growing fluorosis epidemic that afflicts 41% of U.S. adolescents.
The legislation was opposed by more than a dozen groups, including the NH Dental Association, the NH Oral Health Coalition, Delta Dental, the American Water Works Association, the Municipal Association, and the NH Department of Health and Human Services. Even with this strong opposition from the well-financed dental lobby, the bill was still passed by the NH House by a vote of 253-23, and passed unanimously by the NH Senate. HB-1416 was also signed quickly by Governor John Lynch, rather than being approved without his signature, showing his strong support for this action.
This couldn't have been accomplished without a team of open-minded and dedicated sponsors, particularly the prime sponsor, Representative Anne Cartwright (R-Alstead) who introduced the bill and championed it throughout the entire process. Thanks must also go out to those who testified in support of the bill (including FAN Director Paul Connett, who drove down from Canton, NY to testify before the Senate), and those who contacted NH legislators. It was a strong group effort, and we appreciate everyone's help in showing the dental lobby that we plan on influencing future fluoride policy at the local-level AND the state-level.
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More Local Victories
The local fluoride-free victories keep on coming, with several more in May and June:
-Pevely, Missouri -- On May 1st, the city discontinued fluoridation for its approximately 5,500 residents. The decision was made in April by the Board of Alderman as a cost savings measure.
-Bassett, Nebraska -- On May 15th, a majority of voters in the community of 636 voted against fluoridation during their latest county elections.
-Churchill, Manitoba (Canada) -- On May 25, the Churchill town council voted unanimously to end the use of fluoride by September of 2012. The decision came after more than four years of campaigning by a the citizens group Churchill No Fluoride. Citizen efforts led to a plebiscite vote last October that gained the support of a majority of the town's approximately 1000 citizens, ultimately leading to the council signed a resolution to end the practice. The momentum is clearly building in Manitoba. Will Winnipeg be next?
-Argos, Indiana -- On June 6, the Argos town council voted to stop the fluoridation of their water supply after the Water Superintendent urged them to do so. According to the Superintendent, "It was a health issue...I think a lot of towns are finally stepping up and doing the right thing, which is suspending fluoridation." Argos has a population of approximately 1,700 and is the fourth Indiana community to recently end fluoridation, preceded by Bourbon, North Liberty, and Walkerton.
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Campaign Update
The fluoride-free movement is clearly growing, and it's doing so at an accelerating pace. One major sign of this is the introduction of fluoride prohibition legislation and resolutions at the state and major city level by prominent legislators and councilors. This is a sign that the issue is becoming less controversial in the eyes of decision-makers, and is losing its status as an undebateable issue.
Recently at the state level, two bills were introduced in NH calling for a prohibition of fluoridation. In Illinois, Legislators introduced a bill to end the state-wide fluoridation mandate. In Tennessee, a legislator and doctor introduced a bill that would end the state's promotion of fluoridation, and another legislator introduced a bill requiring accountability for drinking water additives. Meanwhile, efforts to introduce mandatory state-wide fluoridation in Vermont and Florida have died without hearings as the legislative sessions come to an end, and the mandatory fluoridation bill in New Jersey seems to have stalled before getting a vote by either the Assembly or Senate.
At the municipal-level, there are several major campaigns heating up in heavily populated areas, including:
-New York City (pop. 8.1 million) -- Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr. hosted a fluoride-free rally at city hall on May 15th to promote his resolution prohibiting fluoridation of NYC drinking water. The bill awaits a public hearing, which is unfortunately at the discretion of Health committee Chair. If you would like to get involved with the NYC campaign, please contact FAN's New York state coordinator. You can also help by calling the Chair of the Health committee to urge her to hold a public hearing on Vallone's fluoridation prohibition resolution.
-Milwaukee, Wisconsin (area pop. 1 million) Last bulletin we told you about the public hearing on Alderman James Bohl's fluoridation prohibition legislation in Milwaukee. The hearing went very well, and was very long...a full 7 hours. Now you can watch the full hearing. The committee is holding the legislation briefly as they collect more information and evidence from both sides. If you live in the Milwaukee area and would like to get involved, please contact End Fluoride Milwaukee (on Facebook). If you are a Milwaukee resident, or a medical or scientific professional, please contact Milwaukee Aldermen.
-Phoenix, Arizona (pop. 1.5 million) -- The city council is reassessing their fluoridation program. The issue was raised by Councilman Tom Simplot and local fluoride-free campaigners. The city currently spends more than $500,000 annually on fluoridation, and currently joins only 9 other Arizona communities in fluoridating their water. The city council is expected to study the issue until September, when it will hold further hearings and decide the fate of the practice. If you live in the Phoenix area and would like to get involved, please contact FAN's Phoenix coordinator. You can also help by contacting the Phoenix Mayor and City Council.
-Santa Fe, New Mexico (pop. 70,000) -- City councilors are considering, and reportedly "leaning towards", ending fluoridation. Santa Fe is 1 of only 2 towns in New Mexico that add fluoride to their drinking water. The issue was raised by Councilor Chris Calvert who felt the health risk and $32,000 cost was enough reason to end the practice. If you live in the area, or are a medical or scientific professional, please contact the council and urge them to support an amendment ending fluoridation.
-Anchorage, Alaska (pop. 300,000) -- On June 6th, the Anchorage Assembly Public Safety Committee held a fact-finding meeting on fluoridation. Future meetings are expected, and the locals are organizing for win. If you live in the Anchorage area, please contact FAN's Anchorage coordinator. You can also contact Anchorage Councilors and urge them to end fluoridation like Fairbanks and Juneau.
According to FAN Director Paul Connett, we have to win this battle "one open mind and one community at a time." With that in mind we encourage FAN supporters to take advantage of the generous donation we received to pay for the book "The Case Against Fluoride" to be sent to the legislator or influential person of your choice. We can accept one nomination per person please, and send us the decision-makers's name and street address, their position and the reason you selected them. If you would like to make a nomination click here.
Sincerely,
Stuart Cooper
Campaign Manager
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