Florida is on the verge of prohibiting fluoride in its public drinking water following new legislation approved by state lawmakers. The bill is awaiting the signature of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. If enacted, Florida will join Utah in banning fluoride from its water supply.
Governor DeSantis has previously criticized water fluoridation, referring to it as “forced medication.” However, his office has not confirmed whether he intends to sign the bill.
For decades, water authorities across the United States have incorporated small amounts of fluoride in water supplies to prevent dental cavities, a practice endorsed by various experts.
The Republican-led Florida House approved the measure as part of a comprehensive farm bill, after the Senate passed the prohibition earlier in April. The legislation, without explicitly mentioning fluoride, aims to prevent municipal authorities from adding “water quality additives” to public water systems.
DeSantis’ administration has previously suggested the prohibition of fluoride, with State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo labeling fluoridation as “public health malpractice,” according to reports.
Before his involvement with President Trump’s administration, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the Health and Human Services Secretary, mistakenly referred to fluoride as “industrial waste” and expressed intentions to ban it from drinking water. Kennedy has propagated several disproven theories linking fluoridation to health problems, including arthritis, bone cancer, and thyroid disease.
Contrastingly, dental and health experts maintain that controlled fluoride exposure is essential in preventing tooth decay and presents minimal risk of adverse effects. The CDC cites public water fluoridation as one of the significant public health achievements of the 20th century, comparable to vaccines and seatbelts.
Recently, under Kennedy’s leadership, the HHS instructed the CDC to reconvene a panel of 15 health experts to evaluate the impact of fluoride in water sources on public health.
The debate over water fluoridation extends beyond the United States. Calgary, Canada, removed fluoride from its water in 2011. However, following a rise in dental cavities among children, the city reversed this decision last year.
If ratified, the Florida ban will become effective on July 1.