West Palm Beach, Florida – The Republican governor of Florida, Ron Desantis, signed a measure on Thursday that prohibits local governments from adding fluoride to their water systems, making it the Second state of the country After Utah a Implement a state prohibition of mineral.
Desantis signed the bill in a public event in Dade City, Florida, about the concerns of dentists and public health defenders.
“We have other ways in which people can get access to fluoride,” said Desantis in a public event earlier this month. “When you do this in the water supply, you are taking away a choice of someone who may not want to have overexposure to fluoride.”
State legislators approved the bill last month, requiring that the mineral and some other additives are eliminated from water sources throughout the State. Utah was the first state to prohibit fluoride at the end of March, and its prohibition entered into force last weekwhile Florida’s provision is effective on July 1.
Some local governments in Florida have already voted to eliminate the fluoride from their water, before the state ban. Earlier this month, Miami-Dade County Commissioners voted to cancel a Veto of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and advance with the plans to eliminate the fluoride from the drinking water from the county.
“Water fluoration is a safe, effective and efficient way to keep dental health in our county, and stop it could have long -standing health consequences, especially for our most vulnerable families,” said Levine Cava in a statement defending her veto.
Some states led by Republicans have tried to impose prohibitions after an impulse from the United States Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To stop fluoroning water. Earlier this month, Desantis promised to sign the bill and was flanked by the State General Surgeon, Joseph Ladapo, who has attracted national scrutiny Regarding its opposition to the policies adopted by public health experts, including COVID-19 vaccines mandates.
Fluoride is a mineral that has been added to drinking water for generations for strengthen teeth and reduce caries by Replace lost minerals during normal wearaccording to the centers for disease control and prevention. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century.
The excess fluoride intake has been associated with stripes or spots on the teeth. And studies have also tracked a link between excess fluoride and brain development.
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Payne, who reported from Tallahassee, Florida, is a member of the body of Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America It is a non -profit national service program that places journalists in local writing rooms to inform about undercover issues.
