UK - Southampton Daily Echo

These toxic arguments

IN response to Mr Guy Harkin's letter of April 30. Who said anything about a conspiracy? Perhaps you would like to write personally to the 2,400 professionals who have signed the petition asking for the ending of fluoridation. Professionals who have studied the evidence and been convinced of its adverse effects on health.
Have you ever studied the other side of the argument and looked at the evidence? The research carried out by the NRC was published and yet I doubt that you have ever read it. (Asked whether you had seen it on a television programme you declined to answer - do you remember?) As an economist I would have thought you would be more concerned with the exorbitant cost to the NHS and find better ways to spend funds.
What I still do not understand is how anyone can be comfortable with a 3-4 per cenl of the child population of the Southampton area ending up with fluorosis as an acceptable "fall-out" when introducing a so called "health measure" in an attempt to prevent the preventable? Talk about a contradiction! As a matter of interest Mr Harkin, are you familiar with the speech given by Baroness Hayman in the House of Lords on April 20 1999? I quote: "We accept that dental fluorosis is a manifestation of systemic toxicity since it is partly caused by bloodborne fluoride."
If this stuff doesn't have any adverse effects why does my toothpaste packaging tell me not to use it if I'm allergic to fluoride? Even the toothpaste manufacturers acknowledge the health issues! Perhaps you could also tell me why a leading health publication recently warned athletes against using fluoridated toothpaste?
You obviously don't know about the research, that's linked fluoride with tendon and joint problems especially in heavily fluoridated Australia.

MRS PLACE, Southampton.

Throw out fluoride dictators

HOW dare they try to force feed poisonous stuff to the general public, when over 70 per cent have voted against it! Is the so called democracy in UK a sham? How can a bunch of unelected people overturn a democratic decision? This is the thin end of the wedge, throw out these dictators. Wonder how many actually live in the area.
There are wars being fought in Iraq, Afgahnistan, etc, to bring democracy. If democracy doesn't work, what is our government doing there, putting our soldiers' lives at risk? Is there a hidden agenda there as well? When the majority of the world, backed up by science, is rejecting fluorida-tion - See "Fifty reasons to oppose flouridation". So, what's their real agenda? Above all, how can they manipulate the rules and override our democratic and human rights! I presume Southampton City Council, having supported SHA, will be providing bottled drinking . water to its citizens! If not, then I suggest that people of Southampton stop paying council tax and take SCC to court.

MIKE VASHISHT, Southampton.