Florida moves to ban fluoride from public drinking water : NPR

Florida is poised to ban fluoride from its drinking water beneath new laws handed by state lawmakers.

The invoice now heads to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for a signature. If signed, Florida would grow to be the second state after Utah to ban fluoride from its public water provide.

DeSantis has referred to as water fluoridation “compelled treatment.” His workplace didn’t touch upon whether or not DeSantis would signal the measure.

Water authorities in states throughout the U.S. have added a small quantity of fluoride to water provides for many years, and consultants say it has prevented tens of millions of cavities.

Florida’s Republican-led Home of Representatives handed the measure on Tuesday as a part of a broader farm invoice. The Senate handed the ban earlier in April. With out mentioning fluoride particularly, the laws would prohibit municipal authorities from including “water high quality components” to the water provide.

DeSantis’ administration has already recommended the prohibition of fluoride, with the state Surgeon Basic Joseph Ladapo calling water fluoridation “public health malpractice,” as WUSF has reported.

Earlier than Trump gained the election, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now Well being and Human Companies secretary, erroneously described fluoride as an “industrial waste” and stated the White Home would advocate banning the mineral from consuming water.

Kennedy — who subscribes to quite a lot of debunked conspiracies surrounding well being and wellness — additionally blamed the fluoridation of water for a myriad of well being issues, together with arthritis, bone fractures, bone most cancers, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental issues and thyroid illness.

However dentists and different well being consultants agree that managed publicity to the mineral is vital to stopping tooth decay and holds minimal dangers for detrimental uncomfortable side effects.

Along with breakthroughs like vaccines and seatbelts, public water fluoridation is taken into account one of many greatest public health innovations of the twentieth century, in line with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).

Earlier in April, the HHS, beneath Kennedy’s steerage, introduced that it had directed the CDC to reconvene an unbiased panel of 15 well being consultants to look at the position fluoride performs in water sources and whether or not it may be detrimental to public well being.

The usage of fluoride in water has been debated elsewhere.

Calgary, Canada, voted in 2011 to ban the mineral from its water provide, however after a notable spike in dental cavities within the metropolis’s kids, the legislature final yr reversed its decision.

The Florida ban, if signed into legislation, would go into impact on July 1.