Utah close to fully banning fluoride in water, stripping cities' ability to decide

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Utah close to fully banning fluoride in water, stripping cities’ ability to decide

By KENYA HUNTER
Updated 5:07 PM EST, February 24, 2025

Utah appears to be the first state ready to put a full ban on fluoride in public water systems under a bill that doesn’t allow cities or communities to decide whether to add the cavity-preventing mineral.

A bill sponsor and an organization opposed to fluoridating water said Utah’s proposal would set a precedent in the U.S. — and it would come as new federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed skepticism about water fluoridation, which is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century.

Utah’s bill cleared its final hurdle in the legislature Friday, and heads to Gov. Spencer Cox for his approval. A spokesperson for Cox didn’t immediately respond to a question about whether he’d sign it.

Already, some cities across the country have tossed fluoride from their water, and other municipalities are considering doing the same. A few months ago, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to kids’ intellectual development.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/fluoride-water-utah-rfk-fluoridation-674abe33eb044077bac840c1c39d8ded

[Lem1951]

1. More cavities!

Research shows that having water fluoridated decreases cavities on a yearly basis by 2-3 per person! Cavities especially in children significantly impair school performance and attendance!