Florida Bans Fluoride From Water Supply After DeSantis Push

Last week, Florida became the second state to ban fluoride from public drinking water officially. The first was Utah, which established its ban in March of this year.

The initiative to ban fluoride from the public water supply is led by medical freedom groups associated with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Before the two statewide bans, those groups found some success in advising boards to cease local-level water fluoridation. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo assisted with these efforts by formally requesting the state abandon the fluoridation practice, claiming that the mineral is “bad for their brains, it’s bad for their intelligence, and it’s bad for their behavior.” Ladapo said he became concerned about the risks of fluoride after Kennedy was selected for the HHS position.

Kennedy recently instructed the CDC to stop advising states to fluoridate water.

Fluoride in drinking water first became popular in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1945. The main appeal was that fluoridation was reported to help prevent cavities, and the practice was quickly adopted nationwide. When it came to the ban, dental professionals advised against its removal, warning that the fluoride levels in toothpaste are not enough to keep growing teeth clean and healthy.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) supported the ban and stated that those opposed to it believed the people were not educated enough to make their own decisions about dental hygiene. “You should be able to talk to folks, your doctor, your friends, your family, whatever, on any of these issues, and then make an honest judgment about what you think is best for you and your family. Forcing this in the water supply is trying to take that away from people who may want to make a different decision rather than to have this in water.”

Most Florida water systems do not add fluoride to their drinking water; however, heavily populated cities do, resulting in the majority of residents consuming fluoridated water.

DeSantis signed the ban into law last week, along with some alterations requested by Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, granting further protection against organizations promoting environmental and governance policies. The fluoride ban goes into effect on July 1.