- Friday, May 02, 2025
US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has dubbed fluoride as “industrial waste” and advised public utilities to stop adding it to water
By: India Weekly
AFTER Utah, Florida is set to become the second state in the United States to ban fluoride in municipal drinking water, despite concerns raised by dentists and public health advocates.
Lawmakers in Florida approved a bill to prohibit certain additives in drinking water, including fluoride, and it now goes to Governor Ron DeSantis for his approval.
The Florida House of Representatives approved the bill by a vote of 88-27 on Tuesday (29) and the Senate had earlier voted 27-9 in favor.
The Republican-ruled states are following a push led by the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has dubbed fluoride as “industrial waste” and advised utilities to stop adding it to public water.
Kennedy said Wednesday (30) that he’s confident DeSantis will sign the bill, and he plans to change federal fluoride regulations.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that fluoride strengthens teeth by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, and based on its recommendations fluoride was being added to treated drinking water for decades in many US cities.
However, CDC has recommended a safe level for fluoride concentration – between 0.7mg per liter and 1.2mg per liter.
The CDC and American Dental Association claimed that adding fluoride to municipal water has helped in reducing tooth decay among the population, and its removal will be disastrous.
However, research has also shown that exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy could lead to neurobehavioral problems in children.
A federal judge had last year ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate fluoride in drinking water because of potential risks to children from high levels.
