Latest news with #DannyAlvarez
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
When it comes to liberty, Florida, why stop at fluoride?
Our state legislature's ban on fluoridation does not go far enough. When Republican State Rep. Danny Alvarez said, "This is not about fluoride. This is about your liberty," every word applied to chlorine with equal relevancy. Yes, chlorine. The chemical that makes swimming pools smell funny as it neutralizes the indiscretions of bathers. How dare the government add chlorine to our drinking water to protect us from diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid without our consent! Some of us might prefer seeking "herd immunity" to these illnesses, even though untrustworthy "science" tells us this is impossible. Remember, this "science" also alleges we are in "climate change," an untruth our governor has banned from our textbooks and legislation. Ending chlorination isn't a blue issue or a red issue; it's a green issue. Let's turn our tap water green with algae and pond scum as a perpetual reminder that we are free Americans living in the Free State of Florida. Fluoridation in Florida: City-by-city: Does your municipality use fluoride to treat its drinking water? Carl Imboden, West Palm Beach This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida got freedom from fluoride. They shouldn't stop there | Letters
CNN
13-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Florida set to become second state to ban fluoride in municipal drinking water
Lawmakers in Florida approved a bill to prohibit certain additives in drinking water, effectively banning fluoride, and the measure now goes to Gov. Ron DeSantis for a signature. If it's finalized, Florida will become the second state to ban fluoride in municipal drinking water. The Florida Farm Bill includes language banning the use of any additive in a public water system that does not meet the new definition of a 'water quality additive': a chemical or substance used in public water to specifically address drinking water standards, contaminants or quality. The Florida House of Representatives approved the bill by a vote of 88-27 on Tuesday, two weeks after the Senate voted 27-9 in favor. 'We are not debating the efficacy of fluoride in any way. … We hold that a free American and Floridian has the right to decide what goes into their body no matter what elected officials may believe is good for their citizens or not,' Rep. Danny Alvarez, a Hillsborough County Republican and a sponsor of the House bill, told CNN. Fluoride can stop early tooth decay by putting minerals back into enamel. It also makes teeth more resistant to acid and interferes with bacteria's ability erode teeth. More than 70% of Floridians who use community water systems receive fluoridated water, according to Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who issued guidance in November recommending against community water fluoridation, citing its potential health effects. In March, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Utah's ban takes effect May 7. Some cities have also gotten rid of fluoride from their water, and more are considering the change. The Florida vote comes after US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has called fluoride 'an industrial waste,' pledged that the Trump administration will advise utilities to stop adding it to public water. Kennedy said during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday that he's confident DeSantis will sign the bill and that he's 'looking at the science now' in order to change federal fluoride regulations. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that's found in soil, rocks and water to varying degrees. It is also a byproduct of fertilizer production. On the recommendation of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, many cities have added fluoride to their treated drinking water for decades to help protect teeth from cavities. The CDC reiterated its faith in the health benefits of fluoride in 2015, naming water fluoridation one of the '10 Greatest Public Health Achievements of the 21st Century.' The ADA has also emphasized that 'eighty years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health.' However, research has showed that exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy is associated with increased neurobehavioral problems in children, and a federal review concluded that higher levels are linked with lower IQ in kids. Last year, a federal judge ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate fluoride in drinking water because of potential risks to children from high levels.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Florida Banned Fluoride. This City Did, Too — Then Tooth Decay Skyrocketed in Children
Florida is the second state to remove the mineral fluoride from its water supply, after Utah The U.S. Centers for Disease Control considered fluoride in public water a great health achievement that prevents tooth decay in all children, regardless of socioeconomic status Calgary, Alberta voted to add fluoride back into its water after the rate of tooth decay dramatically increased Following Utah's statewide ban on fluoride in its public water system, Florida's state legislature has voted to remove fluoride from its water. The bill next goes to Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it into law. 'We are not debating the efficacy of fluoride in any way. … We hold that a free American and Floridian has the right to decide what goes into their body no matter what elected officials may believe is good for their citizens or not,' Rep. Danny Alvarez, a Hillsborough County Republican who was one of the bill's sponsors, told CNN. Related: Is Fluoride in Drinking Water Safe? Here's What to Know, According to Science Fluoride doesn't meet the bill's definition of a 'water quality additive,' which means any 'chemical, additive, or substance that is used in a public water system for the purpose of: (a) Meeting or surpassing primary or secondary drinking water standards; (b) Preventing, reducing, or removing contaminants; or c) Improving water quality.' Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral, the Cleveland Clinic explains, that 'reverses early decay and remineralizes your tooth enamel.' While consuming large amounts of fluoride can be toxic, the Cleveland Clinic says, 'it's very difficult to reach toxic levels with properly fluoridated water and over-the-counter products that contain fluoride.' Removing the mineral could be costly in terms of health — and dental bills, if history is any guide. In 2011, the Canadian city of Calgary removed fluoride from its water after citizens voted to remove the mineral; last year, they voted to add it back. As Calgary City Council member Gian-Carlo Carra told NPR, 'the rate of dental caries [cavities] has increased significantly more than the rate of dental caries was increasing before.' One study showed that 65% of second-graders — born after the fluoride was removed — had tooth decay. Adding the mineral, Carra said, can 'affect a significant, rounding improvement on a general approach to dental health and public health.' Juno, Ala., also saw a steep increase in childhood tooth decay after the city removed fluoride from its water in 2007. One University of Alaska Anchorage study estimated each child incurred an extra $300 in dental bills per year following the removal. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control called adding fluoride to water one of the 'ten great public health achievements" of the last century, explaining it 'safely and inexpensively benefits both children and adults by effectively preventing tooth decay, regardless of socioeconomic status or access to care.' Related: RFK Jr. Confirmed as Health Secretary Despite Caroline Kennedy Blasting Him as a 'Predator' The CDC estimated it reduced tooth decay in up to 70% children, and tooth loss in up to 60% of adults. However, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pushing claims that it is dangerous and can even make kids "stupider," in a cabinet meeting on April 30 with President Trump, according to USA Today. He also erroneously referred to it as an 'industrial waste' in a post on X. 'On Jan. 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease,' Kennedy wrote in the November 2 post. In a statement shared in October, the American Dental Association said that they, along with other major health organizations, "continue to endorse community water fluoridation at optimal levels to help prevent tooth decay." "Even in an era with widespread availability of fluoride from various sources, other studies show that community water fluoridation prevents at least 25% of tooth decay in children and adults throughout their lifespan." Linda J. Edgar, D.D.S., the president of the American Dental Association, said. "The scientific weight of sound evidence around the benefit of community water fluoridation is clear and compelling." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Florida set to become second state to ban fluoride in municipal drinking water
Lawmakers in Florida approved a bill to prohibit certain additives in drinking water, effectively banning fluoride, and the measure now goes to Gov. Ron DeSantis for a signature. If it's finalized, Florida will become the second state to ban fluoride in municipal drinking water. The Florida Farm Bill includes language banning the use of any additive in a public water system that does not meet the new definition of a 'water quality additive': a chemical or substance used in public water to specifically address drinking water standards, contaminants or quality. The Florida House of Representatives approved the bill by a vote of 88-27 on Tuesday, two weeks after the Senate voted 27-9 in favor. 'We are not debating the efficacy of fluoride in any way. … We hold that a free American and Floridian has the right to decide what goes into their body no matter what elected officials may believe is good for their citizens or not,' Rep. Danny Alvarez, a Hillsborough County Republican and a sponsor of the House bill, told CNN. Fluoride can stop early tooth decay by putting minerals back into enamel. It also makes teeth more resistant to acid and interferes with bacteria's ability erode teeth. More than 70% of Floridians who use community water systems receive fluoridated water, according to Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who issued guidance in November recommending against community water fluoridation, citing its potential health effects. In March, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Utah's ban takes effect May 7. Some cities have also gotten rid of fluoride from their water, and more are considering the change. The Florida vote comes after US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has called fluoride 'an industrial waste,' pledged that the Trump administration will advise utilities to stop adding it to public water. Kennedy said during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday that he's confident DeSantis will sign the bill and that he's 'looking at the science now' in order to change federal fluoride regulations. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that's found in soil, rocks and water to varying degrees. It is also a byproduct of fertilizer production. On the recommendation of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, many cities have added fluoride to their treated drinking water for decades to help protect teeth from cavities. The CDC reiterated its faith in the health benefits of fluoride in 2015, naming water fluoridation one of the '10 Greatest Public Health Achievements of the 21st Century.' The ADA has also emphasized that 'eighty years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health.' However, research has showed that exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy is associated with increased neurobehavioral problems in children, and a federal review concluded that higher levels are linked with lower IQ in kids. Last year, a federal judge ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate fluoride in drinking water because of potential risks to children from high levels.
CNN
30-04-2025
- Health
- CNN
Florida set to become second state to ban fluoride in municipal drinking water
Lawmakers in Florida approved a bill to prohibit certain additives in drinking water, effectively banning fluoride, and the measure now goes to Gov. Ron DeSantis for a signature. If it's finalized, Florida will become the second state to ban fluoride in municipal drinking water. The Florida Farm Bill includes language banning the use of any additive in a public water system that does not meet the new definition of a 'water quality additive': a chemical or substance used in public water to specifically address drinking water standards, contaminants or quality. The Florida House of Representatives approved the bill by a vote of 88-27 on Tuesday, two weeks after the Senate voted 27-9 in favor. 'We are not debating the efficacy of fluoride in any way. … We hold that a free American and Floridian has the right to decide what goes into their body no matter what elected officials may believe is good for their citizens or not,' Rep. Danny Alvarez, a Hillsborough County Republican and a sponsor of the House bill, told CNN. Fluoride can stop early tooth decay by putting minerals back into enamel. It also makes teeth more resistant to acid and interferes with bacteria's ability erode teeth. More than 70% of Floridians who use community water systems receive fluoridated water, according to Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who issued guidance in November recommending against community water fluoridation, citing its potential health effects. In March, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Utah's ban takes effect May 7. Some cities have also gotten rid of fluoride from their water, and more are considering the change. The Florida vote comes after US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has called fluoride 'an industrial waste,' pledged that the Trump administration will advise utilities to stop adding it to public water. Kennedy said during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday that he's confident DeSantis will sign the bill and that he's 'looking at the science now' in order to change federal fluoride regulations. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that's found in soil, rocks and water to varying degrees. It is also a byproduct of fertilizer production. On the recommendation of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, many cities have added fluoride to their treated drinking water for decades to help protect teeth from cavities. The CDC reiterated its faith in the health benefits of fluoride in 2015, naming water fluoridation one of the '10 Greatest Public Health Achievements of the 21st Century.' The ADA has also emphasized that 'eighty years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health.' However, research has showed that exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy is associated with increased neurobehavioral problems in children, and a federal review concluded that higher levels are linked with lower IQ in kids. Last year, a federal judge ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate fluoride in drinking water because of potential risks to children from high levels.
