USA - Arkansas State Senate passed legislation
NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Despite admission by the Federal Government that American children are being over-exposed to fluoride, and that fluoride's benefits are primarily topical, the Arkansas State Senate passed legislation on Thursday to force fluoridation on the entire state. This legislation will require cities to add unnecessary, untested fluoride chemicals into the water supply, clearly risking the health of many Arkansas residents.
Fluoridation chemicals-often purchased from Mexico, China, and Japan-are waste products of the phosphate fertilizer industry that are often contaminated with arsenic and lead. These industrial-grade chemicals have never been tested for safety in humans or animals, and have never received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
While the Arkansas House and Senate rush to cast votes that will affect most residents of the State, the public's voice has been excluded from the process. Oddly, the push for mandatory fluoridation in Arkansas comes in the wake of an historical shift in the U.S. fluoridation program.
On January 7, 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recommended lowering the level of fluoride added to drinking water. This was in response to national survey data showing that 41% of adolescents ages 12-15 have dental fluorosis, an outwardly visible sign of fluoride toxicity. However, the new level recommended by HHS (0.7 parts per million fluoride) is still too high to protect all citizens.
Infants drinking formula made up with water containing 0.7 ppm fluoride will receive approximately 175 times more fluoride than a breast-fed infant. African Americans and Mexican Americans have been shown to be at an increased risk of developing dental fluorosis, and are at a higher risk for suffering from the more severe forms of this condition (Table 23, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5403a1.htm). Low-income children have a greater risk for suffering from all forms of fluoride toxicity, as poor diet exacerbates the detrimental effects of fluoride. Thus, this is clearly an Environmental Justice issue...........
Fluoridation chemicals-often purchased from Mexico, China, and Japan-are waste products of the phosphate fertilizer industry that are often contaminated with arsenic and lead. These industrial-grade chemicals have never been tested for safety in humans or animals, and have never received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
While the Arkansas House and Senate rush to cast votes that will affect most residents of the State, the public's voice has been excluded from the process. Oddly, the push for mandatory fluoridation in Arkansas comes in the wake of an historical shift in the U.S. fluoridation program.
On January 7, 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recommended lowering the level of fluoride added to drinking water. This was in response to national survey data showing that 41% of adolescents ages 12-15 have dental fluorosis, an outwardly visible sign of fluoride toxicity. However, the new level recommended by HHS (0.7 parts per million fluoride) is still too high to protect all citizens.
Infants drinking formula made up with water containing 0.7 ppm fluoride will receive approximately 175 times more fluoride than a breast-fed infant. African Americans and Mexican Americans have been shown to be at an increased risk of developing dental fluorosis, and are at a higher risk for suffering from the more severe forms of this condition (Table 23, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5403a1.htm). Low-income children have a greater risk for suffering from all forms of fluoride toxicity, as poor diet exacerbates the detrimental effects of fluoride. Thus, this is clearly an Environmental Justice issue...........
posted by Bill at
9:13 AM
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