With legislation signed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in late March, the state officially became the first in the nation to prohibit the addition of fluoride to public drinking water systems. The bill officially takes effect in May.
According to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), Utah’s bill is the first statewide to completely outlaw the addition of fluoride to drinking water, as Hawaii has already banned its use by publicly-owned systems, reducing its usage significantly in that state. The Utah bill also does not require the removal of naturally occurring fluoride in drinking water supplies — something that is already regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, AMWA said.
Questions over the impact of the elimination of fluoride in drinking water systems on the dental health of the public has been at the center of the debate, which has been heating up in recent months, notably brought on by the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to secretary of the Health and Human Services Department. Kennedy has been a proponent of eliminating fluoride from water systems.
In addition to banning fluoride in water systems, the Utah law, H.B. 81, allows a pharmacist to prescribe fluoride rather than requiring a physician to prescribe.
Currently, the State of Florida is also pursuing legislation to prohibit the use of certain fluoride additives in public water systems. Florida’s surgeon general has been a vocal opponent of fluoride, clashing with the American Dental Association on its harmfulness. Other states are considering similar measures to limit fluoride’s use, while others are rejecting such measures.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also recently announced a review of scientific data concerning the health risks of fluoride in drinking water. The CDC may soon stop recommending the fluoridation of drinking water, according to a CNN report.
Sources: Utah Gov., AMWA
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