Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis today said he will sign a bill banning the addition of fluoride to public drinking water, making Florida the second state to end the practice. The ban will take effect July 1.
Senate Bill 700, known as the “Florida Farm Bill,” passed the state House last week 88-27, sending the bill to the governor’s desk. The bill prevents “the use of certain additives in a water system.”
In a press conference, DeSantis said Florida is ending fluoridation because, “When you do this in the water supply, you’re taking away a choice of someone who may not want to have overexposure to fluoride.”
He said research shows the chemical has serious negative health consequences for children and pregnant women.
“We don’t want local governments unilaterally injecting a chemical into the water supply and exposing people to potentially harmful side effects,” he added.
He also said people can add fluoride to their water at home if they want to.
DeSantis was joined at the press conference by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.
Last year, Ladapo advised governments across the state to stop adding fluoride to their water, citing the neuropsychiatric risks associated with the practice.
“Today we announce that drinking water will hydrate, not medicate,” Simpson said. “Florida water will be clean, it will be safe, and it will be medication-free.”
Ladapo also praised the decision. His office last year issued written guidance detailing the latest research showing that exposure to fluoridated water can lead to neurodevelopmental issues in children, including lower IQ.
Given that risk, along with the wide availability of toothpaste, mouthwash and other alternative sources of fluoride, Ladapo recommended ending community water fluoridation.
Ashley Malin, Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Florida’s Department of Epidemiology, also spoke at the press conference. She is the lead author of a recent study of women and children in Los Angeles that found children born to women exposed during pregnancy to fluoridated drinking water were more likely to have neurobehavioural problems. ....
