Florida Senate – Courtesy: Shutterstock — Cheri Alguire
Two comprehensive measures that would forbid local governments from fluoridating drinking water are now making their way through Florida’s legislature.
Both HB 651 and SB 700 are comprehensive legislation that address a wide range of issues, from funding for mosquito control to regulations governing the carrying of concealed weapons to electric vehicle charging stations. The term fluoride is not used specifically in either.
HB 651, which prohibits the “use of any additives included primarily for health-related purposes,” was adopted by the Housing, Agriculture, and Tourism Subcommittee of the Florida House on Tuesday. The law is an agency package of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the areas it addresses are within its jurisdiction.
Moreover, SB 700, a related law, forbids the use of “water quality additives” for anything other than removing impurities or enhancing the quality of the water, excluding anything utilized for “health-related purposes.”
The House bill is being sponsored by Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Hillsborough County, and Rep. Kaylee Tuck, R-Lake Placid. Despite not using the word fluoride, Tuck stated following a committee meeting on Tuesday that the proposal would prohibit its usage.
Tuck stated, “We’re attempting to distinguish between clean water and healthy water.”
The Senate bill is being sponsored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Keith Truenow, R-Tavares. The committee overwhelmingly approved it on March 11. More obstacles must be overcome before the bill can become law.
During the conference, Truenow stated, “We want to make sure that we give those choices to the parents and the people receiving the fluoride.” “There is no real way to opt out if someone doesn’t want to use the fluoride in the water system.”
According to Tuck, the goal of the House bill, which is referred to as the “Florida Farm Bill,” is to safeguard “personal health freedoms.” Additionally, it seeks to stop plant-based meat, poultry, milk, and eggs from being mislabeled.
According to Tuck, local administrations have not complied with state laws that have traditionally barred the use of health chemicals in water.
Tuck stated, “At this point, we’re making sure that they do follow suit.”
The removal of fluoride from drinking water is already being considered by an increasing number of municipal governments throughout the state. Hillsborough County voted last month to keep it in drinking water following a contentious debate, and in Pinellas County, a member of the Clearwater City Council started the discussion in February.
State officials have claimed that fluoride is lowering children’s IQs, and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo issued guidelines in November that advised against its usage in drinking water.
Health professionals and dentists dispute this. They claim that the research on children’s IQs that Ladapo referenced was predicated on exposures to fluoride concentrations higher than the 0.7 milligrams per liter of water that is the national drinking water standard.
Although fluoride is naturally present in water, governments can regulate fluoride levels to achieve the ideal level through water fluoridation. Furthermore, experts warn that eliminating fluoride may make dental decay more common in low-income areas and among youngsters.
Speaking at the House panel meeting on Tuesday, Florida Dental Association lobbyist Brandon Edmonston argued against the restrictions placed on local governments.
According to Edmonston, “community water fluoridation is considered one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the 20th Century.” Speaking against the Senate bill last week, he also said that fluoride used externally—like in toothpaste or mouthwash—is less beneficial than fluoride that acts within.
If left untreated, bacterial infections in the teeth can damage the heart and brain, he warned.
Three more panels must approve the House bill before it can be considered by the entire chamber.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
