NZ - Letter

Fluoride queries

Should we go with the flow about fluoride?

Government is poised to pass an act that will remove the existing right of local authorities to act on local opinion and valid science-based concerns regarding the addition of fluoride to drinking water.

Pro-fluoride lobbyists argue that a rational decision can only be achieved through centralised legislation but this is propaganda and/or ignorance. Many leading European countries do not add fluoride to water for very good reasons.

That fluoride is labelled as a dangerous poison just before dilution in drinking water is an irrefutable fact, so the onus is on the pro-lobbyists to prove their case, not the other way around. Fluoride was added to people's water for nefarious reasons long before dentists starting advocating it.

Our acceptance of fluoride is largely due to complacency through historical usage rather than scientific proof that it was ever good for us -- and, more importantly, it has never been proven to be safe in the same way that would be required if we were to use if for the first time today.

Pro-fluoride lobbyists lack the mountain of supporting health and safety information that is normally required in these situations. Instead, pro-fluoride lobbyists cherry-pick scientific studies, completely ignore other scientific studies and then have the temerity to claim that they have a monopoly on rational scientific argument and that local people are just too emotional to be rational about fluoride.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

DR ROBIN WAKELING
Wellington