Latest news with #UtahStateSenate
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Utah moves to ban fluoride in drinking water. It would be the first for any US state.
Utah could soon become the first state to ban the mineral fluoride in public drinking water, according to legislation in the state. House Bill, 81 introduced by Rep. Stephanie Gricius and Sen. Kirk A. Cullimore, both Republicans, was approved by the Utah State Senate on Friday. The bill addresses provisions related to water fluoridation and prescription fluoride supplements. In addition to prohibiting adding fluoride to public water systems, the bill also: Allows pharmacists to prescribe fluoride; Directs the Division of Professional Licensing to establish guidelines for prescribing the mineral. If signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox, the bill would become law in May. USA TODAY has reached out to Cox's office. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named public water fluoridation one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th Century. The practice of adding small amounts of fluoride to public drinking water to strengthen teeth is endorsed by the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The organizations point to research that found fluoridated water reduces tooth decay by 25% in children and adults. Watch out for these signs of skin cancer, experts say The bill's approval comes after a federal report in August linked high levels of fluoride in other countries to lower IQs in children, adding new evidence in the debate over adding fluoride to public drinking water systems. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicity Program report evaluated a collection of studies on populations in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico. The review examined total fluoride exposure from all sources, so it did not solely measure health effects of drinking fluoridated water. But experts previously told USA TODAY they expected it would likely generate debate among anti-fluoride groups pushing for ballot measures to ban fluoride in water in local communities. Drinking water with more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter was "consistently associated with lower IQ in children," the report said. It did not say how much IQ might be lowered in children who drink water with fluoride levels that exceed that amount. The report also did not say whether adults could be affected by high levels of fluoride. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends public water systems contain a fluoride level of .7 milligrams per liter of water. The World Health Organization's recommended limit for fluoride in drinking water in 1.5 milligrams per liter. Federal public health agencies recommend public water systems be calibrated to less than half the fluoride levels which this research links to lower IQ in children. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Utah may become first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water
New York Times
26-02-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Utah Could Become the First State to Ban Fluoride in Public Water
Utah could soon become the first U.S. state to ban the addition of fluoride to drinking water. On Friday, the Utah State Senate approved a bill that prohibits adding the mineral to public water systems. If signed by Governor Spencer Cox, the measure would go into effect on May 7. The governor has not publicly commented on whether he supports the bill. The passage of the Utah bill comes roughly two weeks after the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as health secretary. In November, Mr. Kennedy vowed that the Trump administration would 'advise all U.S. systems to remove fluoride from public water.' In 2022, about 44 percent of Utah residents supplied with public drinking water were drinking fluoridated water. Fluoride is added to drinking water because it prevents cavities, a benefit first observed over a century ago. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has heralded water fluoridation as one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. 'The evidence that addition of fluoride to the water reduces cavities and tooth decay is unequivocal,' said Dr. F. Perry Wilson, a physician and chronic disease epidemiologist at the Yale School of Medicine. Opponents of water fluoridation, including Mr. Kennedy and Utah State Representative Stephanie Gricius, who introduced the bill, argue that the chemical could have harmful neurological effects on fetuses and young children. In a recent review paper, researchers with the National Institutes of Health analyzed the results of 74 studies and concluded that high levels of prenatal or childhood fluoride exposure were linked with lower IQ scores in childhood. However, the fluoride levels associated with lower IQ scores were twice as high as the water fluoridation levels recommended by the C.D.C. Typically, high levels of fluoride exposure are associated not with community water fluoridation, Dr. Wilson said, but with natural fluoride contamination from water running over rocks and soil. And some other studies have found no link between fluoride and IQ. 'There is still no evidence that community water fluoridation, with the fluoride levels used in the United States, is associated with any adverse health effects,' said Dr. Scott Tomar, a public health dentist and oral epidemiologist at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry. This does not mean such a link could not exist. Among other things, no large, longitudinal studies on the relationship between water fluoridation and IQ have been conducted in the United States. 'We must always be on the lookout for new data and allow that to change our conclusions,' Dr. Wilson said. And there is no question that some Americans are exposed to higher than recommended levels of fluoride in their drinking water because of natural fluoride contamination. In a 2020 study, researchers analyzed water samples from private wells around the nation. They found that the water in some wells was naturally contaminated with fluoride at levels above four milligrams per liter, the legal fluoride limit for drinking water. That is more than 2.5 times the level at which effects on IQ have been observed. The new Utah law would ban manually adding fluoride to public water, but it would not apply to well water, nor would it reduce the amount of fluoride residents might be exposed to from natural sources. 'This law would have zero effect on that,' Dr. Tomar said. Other states and U.S. cities and counties are considering or have implemented similar bans. This month, a bill banning water fluoridation was introduced into the Montana state legislature, though that measure was set aside by a committee on February 25. Some communities in North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania have recently ceased fluoridation. And lawmakers in other states have filed bills that would leave the decision to fluoridate up to voters or local governing bodies. Research suggests that fluoridation bans could have negative ramifications for oral health. A 2018 study found that children in the U.S. without access to fluoridated water developed 39 percent more cavities in their baby teeth, and 16 percent more cavities in their permanent teeth, than children in communities where most people had access to fluoridated water. Dr. Wilson worried, too, that the law would have the largest effect on low-income residents. 'Fluoridation of the water supply has disproportionate benefit to those of lower socioeconomic status, with less access to preventative dental care,' he said. 'This bill will hurt those Utahans most.'
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Yahoo
Cox appoints former Moab police chief as head of Utah Dept. of Corrections
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has appointed former Moab police chief Jared Garcia as the new executive director of the Utah Dept. of Corrections (UDC), according to a press release from the governor's office on Friday. Pending approval by the Utah State Senate, Garcia — who is currently the UDC's deputy executive director — will succeed Brian Redd to head the agency. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall recently selected Redd to be the new Salt Lake City chief of police. Garcia reportedly has over 22 years of experience in law enforcement and public safety, serving as the UDC's deputy executive director since Oct. 2023. He oversaw prison operations, Adult Probation and Parole, as well as law enforcement efforts, training, and professional standards. READ: Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall recommends new SLCPD police chief In heading the UDC, Garcia will oversee all departmental operations at its two prisons, six community correctional centers, and five Adult Probation and Parole Districts. The UDC employs around 2,300 correctional professionals, including nearly 1,800 certified officers, and is responsible for supervising around 23,000 incarcerated individuals. 'Jared Garcia is a dedicated public servant with a deep understanding of the responsibilities within our corrections system,' said Gov. Cox. 'He has spent his career strengthening public safety, fostering collaboration and building programs that improve both accountability and rehabilitation. I am confident that under his leadership, the Department of Corrections will continue to advance its mission to protect communities and improve lives.' Garcia is a Utah native with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration from Columbia College and a graduate degree in law enforcement and public safety leadership from the University of San Diego. He also graduated the FBI Executive Command College. Garcia has been involved in victim advocacy and school safety, as well as efforts to address crime, mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness. He has reportedly been nationally recognized, being named a '40 Under 40' recipient by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and receiving the Utah Department of Public Safety Medal of Excellence. 'Our focus is not just on incarceration; it's about creating opportunities for people to rebuild their lives,' Garcia said. 'I look forward to continuing our work alongside the exceptional team at UDC to strengthen public safety and ensure that we are making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve. Together, we are committed to working together, transforming lives and protecting communities.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
