2011 is turning out to be a momentous year for those who wish to see an end to water fluoridation worldwide.  The practice seems to be crumbling before our eyes.  Each day seems to bring news of another victory or another initiative being taken to end fluoridation in cities, states and provinces in North America.

It’s up to all of us to grasp this historic moment and let the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) know that its proposal of 0.7ppm fluoride in water is still too high and that fluoridation should end now. To sign-on in support of FAN’s comments, go to http://fluoridealert.org/fan-comments.html. HHS is accepting public comments on its proposal up to February 14, so please send your comments before then. Over 3,000 sign-on messages have already been sent. But we need many more (maybe a 100 times more).

2011 at a glance:

Feb 8. CANADA: Calgary City Council voted 10-3 to end 20 years of fluoridation. The combined efforts of informed council members and citizens coupled with good reporting from the Calgary Herald produced this stunning victory in a city of over one million. Jim Beck, MD, PhD, and co-author of the book, “The Case Against Fluoride,” lives in Calgary, and was at the forefront in this battle. (See today’s Calgary Herald editorial )

Feb 8. UTAH. Waterwatch of Utah challenged the Davis County Board of Health to require fluoridated public water systems to advise their users that infant formula made with with tap water could cause dental fluorosis in children.

Feb 7. OHIO. Yellow Springs City Council voted 3-1 to stop 50 years of fluoridation

Feb 7. TENNESSEE. House Speaker and 4 Legislators ask the state’s Department of Health to end its promotion of fluoridation. See press release from Dan Stockin and letter sent to the Commissioner of the Tennessee DOH.

Feb 1. NEW HAMPSHIRE. Two lawmakers have sponsored House Bill 312 that would require “public water systems which provide fluoridation to place a warning on all billing statements against fluoride-treated water for infants under the age of 12 months.”

Feb 1. ARKANSAS. Water additive bill filed in legislature subtitled the Arkansas Water Additive Accountability Act. Water operators would not be able purchase additives unless toxicological studies are available. The bill also requires disclosure of the source, i.e., country of origin of such additives.

Jan 30: U.S. Black Pastors speak out against adding fluoride to drinking water

Jan 18. NEW YORK CITY. Bill to end fluoridation in NYC by City Council member Peter Vallone.

Jan 14. U.S. National Public Radio (NPR). For the first time in memory a balanced program on fluoridation was aired on NPR – with equal time given to Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, and Chris Neurath, Director of Research at Fluoride Action Network

Jan 11. U.S. GOVERNMENT. The Environmental Protection Agency proposes to end the use of the food fumigant sulfuryl fluoride on the grounds that Americans are over-exposed to fluoride. This was the result of an historic decision by EPA in  granting “all of the objections” submitted over six years by the Fluoride Action Network, Beyond Pesticides, and the Environmental Working Group. The three groups were aided by their terrific pro-bono counsel Perry Wallace, a law professor at American University. We expect strong opposition from Dow AgroSciences, politicians, and the agro industry

Jan 11. U.S. GOVERNMENT. The Oral Health Division of the Centers for Disease Control is being downgraded from a “division” to a “branch” of another department. The American Dental Association strongly objects as it will be losing its major PR mouthpiece - read their letter to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of HHS

Jan 7. U.S. GOVERNMENT. The Department of Health and Human Services proposal to lower the level of fluoride added in fluoridation schemes to 0.7 ppm because children are being overexposed to fluoride is sending shock waves around the fluoridating world.

Keep educating and organizing your community and friends and together we can win this battle!

Paul Connett
Fluoride Action Network
http://www.fluoridealert.org/