USA Court won't hear fluoridation appeal

Court won't hear fluoridation appeal
ESCONDIDO – The state Supreme Court yesterday declined to hear an appeal by a group of residents challenging the way the city fluoridates its water supply. The decision means that a ruling in August by the 4th District Court of Appeal in San Diego, and a Superior Court ruling in October 2004, will stand. Judges in both courts found that the city's use of an additive for fluoridation is legal.
Seven Escondido residents who filed the lawsuit contended that the city and state were violating their constitutional rights by using a fluoride additive, called hydrofluorosilic acid, that contains trace amounts of arsenic and lead. "This case will decide whether our government can mass-medicate the people of the State of California without their informed consent," the plaintiffs' attorneys said in a 30-page brief submitted to the Supreme Court in October.
City officials said the arsenic levels in Escondido's water, even with the use of the additive, would be between one-hundredth and one-thousandth of the 2006 federal standard of no more than 10 parts per billion for drinking water, and that hydrofluorosilic acid is commonly used for fluoridation.

Escondido began fluoridating its water in August, making it the first city or water district in the county to do so. The decision affects about 75 percent of the city's residents. Some parts of the city are served by the Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District, which is not fluoridating.