Florida became the second state in the country after Utah to ban local governments from adding fluoride to their public water systems.

Florida became the second state in the country after Utah to ban local governments from adding fluoride to their public water systems.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill at Simpson Lakes in Dade City – about 38 miles northeast of Tampa – on Thursday. The law is set to go into effect on July 1.

“We certainly now, in our society in 2025, we have the ability to deliver fluoride through toothpaste and all these other things,” DeSantis said at an event for the signing of the bill. “You don’t gotta force it and take away people’s choices. But the whole crux of the issue is you should be able to make decisions on the basis of informed consent.”

“Forcing this in the water supply is trying to take that away from people who may want to make a different decision rather than to have this in water,” DeSantis added.

  • Jeena@piefed.jeena.netEnglish
    816·
    22 hours ago

    Most developed countries don’t do it either, like he says you can get enough of it from other sources, especially toothpaste.

    via Fifty reasons to oppose fluoridation (2004)

    In Europe, only Ireland, Poland, Serbia, Spain, and the UK fluoridate their water. However, most developed countries, including Japan and 97% of the European population, do not consume fluoridated water. In Europe, only four countries have optional salt fluoridation (Germany, France, Switzerland, and Austria), while the majority have neither fluoridated water nor fluoridated salt.

    via The Fluoride Debate: The Pros and Cons of Fluoridation

    • atzanteol@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      292·
      21 hours ago

      You’re assuming this is in good faith. It is not. There is no good reason to stop doing it other than to signal to all the crazies and conspiracy whack jobs that they may be on to something.

      • MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.worldEnglish
        13·
        21 hours ago

        That’s also not considering the lack of healthcare in the US compared to other developed nations. Fluoride in the water supply is doing way more heavy lifting here than in Europe.

    • MysticKetchup@lemmy.world
      7·
      20 hours ago

      Except it seems like every time a major area ceases water fluoridation the caries immediately increases compared to nearby areas. Until we see some hard benefits from removing fluoride from water that exceeds the benefits of fluoridation there’s no point in giving in to the fearmongering of conspiracy theorists

    • dan1101@lemm.ee
      3·
      17 hours ago

      Uh oh better tell the Republicans they are doing something… European! Sounds like closet libs to me!