USA - Oneida city council votes no to adding fluoride to its water

Elizabeth Doran 

Oneida city residents will continue to drink water without any fluoride added

The city council voted 5 to 1 Tuesday night to not fluoridate the municipal water supply, according to city officials.

About 75 percent of the U.S. population – and about 73 percent of New Yorkers - gets water that's been fluoridated.

Oneida residents and officials have debated and rejected the idea of adding fluoride to its water supply in 2002 and in 2008.

Over the past few months, proponents and opponents have given passionate speeches at several hearings.

Proponents of fluoridation, like Oneida dentist Samuel Barr, said luoride is the most cost-effective public health treatment.

Opponents have argued fluoride is dangerous and can cause health problems for some. They also say it is ineffective, and that adding it to the water takes away a person's freedom of choice.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disagree with the fluoridation opponents.

Voting against fluoridation were Oneida councilors Brahim Zogby, Michael Bowe, Erwin Smith, Jim Chamberlain and Tom Simchik, according to city officials Voting for fluoridation was Helen Acker.