Canada - Fluoride critics vow to keep fighting

Fluoride critics vow to keep fighting
By John Miner, The London Free Press
London city councillors are being advised to brush off fluoride opponents in the future, a suggestion that infuriates activists who want the chemical banned from the city’s water supply.
“It is absolutely asinine,” said Chris Gupta, an engineer and member of People for Safe Drinking Water, a group lobbying against fluoride.
In a recommendation to the Built and Natural Environment Committee, city staff said they have confidence in the integrity of the Middlesex-London Health Unit, the chief medical officer of health for Ontario and Health Canada.
All three have backed the continued use of fluoride in London’s water to prevent tooth decay.
“Research into the health effects of water fluoridation has been ongoing for over 70 years and the world’s foremost dental and medical organizations support and promote the practice,” the city hall staff report said.
The report, submitted by John Simon, division manager of London’s water operations, concluded fluoridation has no adverse affect on water quality and achieves positive outcomes.
London has been adding fluoride to the water system since 1967 after Londoners voted for it in a plebiscite. The annual cost of adding fluoride is about $133,000 a year, or 38 cents for each London resident.
The Middlesex London Health Unit has pegged the savings in dental treatment costs at $38 for every dollar spent on water fluoridation.
Noting that city council periodically hears from people opposed to fluoridation, the staff report said opponents are essentially asking council to arrive at a different conclusion than Health Canada experts after evaluating only a select fraction of material.
“Administration advises that when presented with correspondence requesting the cessation of water fluoridation, council should support the ongoing fluoridation of the City of London’s water supply, deferring to the findings of the Health Canada review and to the recommendation of the chief medical officer of Health for Ontario and the board of health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit,” the report recommended.
Gupta said city council shouldn’t deflect the issue to others.
“Who is the idiot that is doing it - the city. Who is going to be liable for damages - the city. They are the ones holding the bag,” he said.
Gupta maintains there has been no evidence to show that fluoridation is safe for the human body.
“They keep saying it is good for your teeth, good for your teeth, safe and effective, safe and effective. Fine, show us the safety studies,” he said.
A meeting in March, sponsored by the People for Safe Drinking Water, drew more than 400 people to hear fluoride critic Dr. Paul Connett.
Gupta said only two city councillors attended.
“Their minds are made up. They say ‘don’t confuse us with the facts.’”
Gupta said the People for Safe Drinking Water has no choice but to continue the fight against fluoride.
“This stuff is dangerous to children’s brains. We have to keep pressing this.”
john.miner@sunmedia.ca

Same stance as the SHA and the NHS - we know best. After that farce of a consultation we will never believe that again.