'Florida Farm Bill' would eliminate fluoride from public water supplies statewide
Could fluoride be banned from Florida’s drinking water?
FOX 13’s Kellie Cowan has a look at the "Florida Farm Bill," which would ban water additives – including fluoride – across the state. The Florida Legislature will consider the measure during its annual session, which begins March 4.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A Florida Senate Republican filed a wide-ranging "Florida Farm Bill" that, among other things, would ban local governments from adding fluoride to public water supplies.
Florida Farm Bill
Big picture view:
Sen. Keith Truenow, R-Tavares, filed the bill (SB 700), which addresses numerous issues related to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The measure does not specifically mention fluoride, but it would prohibit local governments from using what the bill calls "water additives."
Fluoride in tap water.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is among the leaders who have signaled support for the bill.
Push to eliminate added fluoride
The backstory:
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo issued guidance last year recommending the removal of fluoride from public water systems, citing a recent report by the National Institutes of Health that showed a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids.
It includes studies involving levels at about twice the recommended limit for drinking water, not the 0.7 milligrams per liter of water, which has been the standard to support oral health since the 1950s.
Since then, local governments in Florida have recently debated — and, in some cases, stopped — the longstanding practice of adding fluoride to water supplies.
Local perspective:
Among the Florida governments who have recently voted to end fluoridation are Winter Haven, Fort Pierce, Niceville, Ormond Beach, Immokalee, Naples, Tavares, Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Lee and Collier counties.
Leaders in Manatee and Pinellas counties, along with the cities of Lakeland and Bartow, are considering similar moves.
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On the other hand, Hillsborough County commissioners declined to pass a motion earlier this month that would have removed fluoride from the county’s water supply.
What they're saying:
"Nobody is thirsty for unnecessary additives," Truenow said in a statement included in last week’s news release. "Safe, clean drinking water is our chief goal. Prohibiting fluoride in public water systems ensures that individuals and families have the final say over their health."
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The other side:
Dental and other health groups have called for continuing the addition of fluoride to water.
"Insufficient fluoride exposure can have significant negative effects on oral health," the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a December news release, adding that tooth cavities are the "most common chronic disease in childhood" and disproportionately affect "children of lower socioeconomic status who are less likely to have access to dental care."
What's next:
The Florida Legislature will consider the bill during its annual session, which begins March 4.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kellie Cowan. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
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