USA - Yorktown Aims to Return Fluoride to Drinking Water

YORKTOWN, N.Y. – The Town Board on Tuesday, Dec. 18, took its first concrete step toward returning fluoride to the water supplied by the Catskill Aqueduct to residents by authorizing a transfer of $209,000 from the Water District’s fund balance to pay the design consultant of a new fluoridation system, thereby establishing it as a capital project.

The board in July had authorized Supervisor Ilan Gilbert to sign an agreement with Arcadis of New York to design the system at the Catskill facility of the Northern Westchester Joint Water Works. Although that facility serves both residents on the west side of Yorktown and those in Cortlandt, the fluoridation system will only serve Yorktown customers. The fluoride feed system at the Catskill plant has been offline since January 2013.

The balance of Yorktown’s drinking water, about 33 percent, comes from the Amawalk Water Treatment Facility. The Northern Westchester Joint Water Works stopped adding fluoride at that plant in October 2017 due to the hydraulics of Yorktown’s distribution system, which affected the level of fluoride being delivered. Fluoride will begin flowing again at both locations when the fluoridation system at Catskill is completed.

Once the $209,000 is expended, the town will be reimbursed through a state grant of $901,000 the town received in June to cover the full cost of the fluoridation system. The town has up to 18 months to complete the project.

Gilbert said that concerns about the fluoridation project were raised at the budget hearing earlier in December and that the board felt, “if we could, we’d like to go ahead with the project.”

“I think we’re glad to say it looks like we’ll be able to go forward with the grant, but in such a way we will not be jeopardizing any of our other funds.”

He also admitted to some ignorance about the benefits of fluoridation.

“I was under the misimpression that it was only important for children and their development within the first 6 years of their lives,” he said. “I now have learned that it is also important for our seniors in town because as we get older, we get into a situation where our gums recede,” exposing more enamel, which fluoride helps protect.

First time I've heard that one

F.A.N. Newsletter

Before we get to Michael's video, here is an update on the fundraiser.

Yesterday, 60 supporters helped us add over $4,000 to our total. Currently, our total stands at $149,533 from 632 donors. This leaves us with the staggering task of raising just over $100,000 in less than 24 hours.
The first $1000 donated today will be doubled and when we pass 700 donors we will receive another $1000.

Thank you all for the wonderful support you have given us - those who have donated large and small; those who have given more than once; those who have made recurring donations; those who rounded up friends and family members to donate; those who have added extremely kind words in support of our efforts; those extremely generous benefactors who offered challenge pledges; those who offered inspiring personal testimonies and last but not least all the members of the FAN and FUN raising team: Stu, Jay, Ellen, Paul, Robin and Dawna.

We will be recording donations up to midnight Pacific Time tonight (3 am EDT). If you wish to mail in a check please do so - make sure you date it Dec 31 (for tax reduction purposes) - and please email us that your donation is in the mail, so that we can keep people up to date with totals.

A Happy New Year to you and your families. May 2019 bring us the victory we all yearn for. 

Paul Connett,
Director
Fluoride Action Network

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How to make a tax-deductible donation to FAN:

• Online at our secure server.
  
• Or by Check, payable to the Fluoride Action Network. Send your check to:
  
  Fluoride Action Network
  c/o Connett
  104 Walnut Street
  Binghamton NY 13905  

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F.A.N.Newsletter

Before we get to Ellen's piece below, here's an update on our fundraiser.

In terms of number of donors, yesterday was our best day to date. A special thanks for all the terrific support we received from NZ and Australia. Our current total is $145,077 from 571 supporters. 

With only two days to go we are still  a very long way from our ambitious - but necessary - goal of $250,000 by midnight Dec 31. We are going to need a miracle - actually several big miracles and lots and lots of little ones - to get close, but our supporters have delivered miracles before, so we continue to hope. Meanwhile, a huge thank you for all the wonderful folks who have got us this far.

Today, the first $1000 will be doubled by a very generous benefactor, and when we reach 600 donors, which we should do today, we will receive $1100 and another $1000 when we reach 700 donors, courtesy of existing pledges. 

How to make a tax-deductible donation to FAN:

• Online at our secure server.
  
• Or by Check, payable to the Fluoride Action Network. Send your check to:
  
  Fluoride Action Network
  c/o Connett
  104 Walnut Street
  Binghamton NY 13905  

Ellen (FAN's managing director) is the rock of the FAN operation. She got me into this battle and she keeps me in it, by her tireless inspiration and meticulous attention to detail. In the photo Ellen is holding a New Year's gift from Michael's girlfriend Emily.

Happy New Year to you all and to all of your friends and family. We are so glad you are part of the FAN family.

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FAN's Unrivaled Fluoride Databases

Every day Ellen updates the FAN website with news articles, published studies, government reports, and more. Here are some news articles that you may have missed:

• Canada: Following the media on three important fluoride studies released in August on ADHD, thyroid, and the collection of fluoride urine levels in pregnant women by Canadian researchers. 

• UK: Don’t brush dogs’ teeth with fluoride toothpaste: “The RSPCA said the presence of fluoride in high-street toothpaste brands, along with the occasional use of the artificial sweetener xylitol, could prove  toxic to dogs if swallowed...” The Telegraph, Nov 12, 2018.

• Ethics: A good review of the “The ethics of water fluoridation”, by Stephen Hudson, Dental Law and Ethics, Oct 30, 2018.

• Canada: Hardy Limeback helped defeat the fluoridation proposal in Parry Sound. See letter from 22 dentists and MDs urging the community to fluoridate and Hardy’s reply. Parry Sound North Star, Oct 23, 2018.

• India: New computer models show that more than 100 million people in India are affected by excess fluoride in groundwater. Pollution News, Oct 22, 2018.

• TSCA Lawsuit: “In an Oct. 4 order, Judge Edward Chen, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, ordered EPA to release internal documents regarding its scientists’ views of a study linking fluoridation to IQ decrements, as well as ordering EPA to allow plaintiffs to depose agency staff on whether its existing fluoride standards consider neurotoxicity risks…” Inside EPA, Oct 22, 2018.

• Niger: “Niger is to pay out at least $3.5 million in compensation to hundreds of children of the central town of Tibiri who suffered deformities after drinking water with high fluoride content, state TV reported Sunday…” News 24, Oct 22, 2018.

• Pennsylvania:Greencastle school district ends voluntary fluoride program. Herald Hall Media, Oct 8, 2018.

There are more unique entries such as Fluoridated Chemical Weapons. The precursors to making these weapons include Sodium fluoride, Potassium fluoride, Hydrogen fluoride, or Ammonium bifluoride. The United Nations classifies three of the fluorinated chemical weapons (Sarin, Soman, and Cyclosarin) as “weapons of mass destruction” according to UN Resolution 687.  

Our Researchers section includes the following:

Government Reports by Country & FAN Submissions. See FAN’s October’s submission to the CDC in response to their request for guidance to achieve optimal fluoride concentrations. There also are reports from  Australia •  Canada •  European Union •  FAN submissions •  India •  Ireland •  New Zealand •  Netherlands •  United Kingdom •  World Health Organization | United Nations.
The Study Tracker is FAN’s archive of published papers. You can find all brain studies, or more targeted ones such as human, animal, or cell studies; and you can further target these studies by either behavior; cellular effects; cognitive function; or neurological symptoms -- take a look. See also the studies on the other organs such as the kidney, liver, heart, lung, and more. If you go to the Study Tracker’s homepage and scroll down you will see the most recent studies in the archive.
The New Professionals’ Statement – In November, professionals were asked to sign a new statement calling for the end of water fluoridation worldwide. This was in response to the new Mother-Offspring fluoride studies which, for the first time, identified the fetus as the most vulnerable to fluoride's adverse neurotoxic (brain damaging) effects. Professionals can add their name to the updated statement here! To see the signers of the New Statement, click here.
The Toxic Release Inventory provides the public with information about releases of toxic chemicals in their community and is managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Information on fluoride releases is available by state, county, city, or zip code. Look at the pop-down menu which has:

-- By Year: Fluoride Releases, 1995-2016
-- By Industrial Sector: Hydrogen Fluoride Releases,1995-2016]
-- By State: Fluoride Releases, 2014-2016
-- Hydrogen Fluoride: Top Polluters, 1995-2015
-- Fluorinated Ozone-Depleting Gases Tracked by TRI
-- Fluorine: Releases by Industry, 1995-2015
-- and more…

U.S. Water Systems with High F Levels. A database of drinking water systems with high levels of naturally occurring fluoride searchable by state.

Pesticides. A database for fluorinated pesticides, including Cryolite and Sulfuryl Fluoride, the two main food pesticides that break down to fluoride in the body. See the allowable fluoride levels for pesticide residues in/or on food (these residues are called tolerances). While this database needs updating, much of the information is still relevant.

State Fluoride Database. Find out if your town is fluoridated, see if any communities have recently rejected fluoridation, learn if your state has a law that mandates fluoridation, and other fluoride-related information. See California as an example, which contains this: The California Dental Association (CDA) announced in 2010 that the American Dental Association gave it $200,000 to work against the placement of ‘fluoride and its salts’ on the California List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity. This list is commonly known as Prop 65.
News Articles by U.S. State:
 AL • AK • AZ • AR • CA • CO • CT • DE • FL • GA • HI • ID • IL • IN • IA • KS • KY • LA • ME • MD • MA • MI • MN • MS • MO • MT • National USA • NE • NV • NH • NJ • NM • NY • NC • ND • OH • OK • OR • PA • RI • SC • SD • TN • TX • UT • VT • VA • WA • WV • WI • WY •
News Articles by Country: Afghanistan • Australia • Azerbaijan • Bahrain • Bangladesh • Belgium * Bermuda • Bolivia • Brazil • Brunei • Canada • Ceylon • Chile • China • Congo • Curaçao • Czech Republic • Denmark • Ecuador • El Salvador • Estonia • Ethiopia • European Union • France * Germany • Ghana • Greenland • Grenada • Guernsey • Hong Kong • Iceland • India • Indonesia • International  • Iran • Iraq • Ireland  • Isle of Man • Israel • Italy • Jamaica • Japan • Jordan • Kenya • Lebanon • Lithuania • Malaysia • Mexico • Mongolia • Mozambique • Namibia • New Zealand • Niger • Nigeria • Norway • Pakistan • Palestine • Philippines • Russia • Saudi Arabia • Senegal • Singapore • Slovenia • South Africa • South Korea • Spain • Sri Lanka • Sweden • Switzerland • Syria • Taiwan • Tajikistan • Tanzania • Thailand • The Netherlands • Tibet •  Ubekistan •  United Arab Emirates • United Kingdom • United States • Vietnam • Virgin Islands • Yemen • Zimbabwe
Articles by Industry:
 Aluminum • Brick Kilns • Cement Kilns • Chemical Industry • Chemical Weapons • Coal Industry • Copper Smelter • Cubatao, Brazil • Electronics • Fluorine Coatings • Fracking • Geothermal • Greenhouse/Ozone Gases • Human Experiments • Mining • Miscellaneous • Nuclear Industry • Oil Refineries • Perfluorinated Chemicals • Pesticides • Pharmaceuticals • Phosphate Industry • Photovoltaics • Plastics • Speciality Metal Industries • Steel Industry • Volcanoes •
Some new categories: Batteries • TSCA Law Suit • Toothpaste • Childsmile

On behalf of the FAN team, thank you.

Paul and Ellen Connett

F.A.N.Newsletter

In this video I explain my "Hail Mary pass" to get closer to our ambitious goal of $250,000 by midnight Dec 31.

I showed two of my recent acrylic paintings (12 x 36 inch canvas). I"m offering one for auction - highest bidder by midnight (PT) Dec 31 will win.  Please email your bids to: stuart@fluoridealert.org  The highest bid will be posted on our fundraising page at regular intervals.

I'm offering the other for raffle: 

Tickets cost $12, for which all entries will receive a T-shirt ( legend = "Our Water Our Heath Our Choice ; Stop Fluoridation"). Send size to Ellen at: Ellen@fluorideAlert.org

Our current total stands at $140,093 from 502 donors.  Our goal is to raise $250,000 by midnight Dec 31.

Once again, Dr. Mercola is doing all he can to inspire us and again he will double donations (up to a total of $1000) today. 

Donor milestones:

$1100 at 600 donors
$1000 at 700 donors
$1200 at 800 donors
$900 at 900 donors

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How to make a tax-deductible donation to FAN:

• Online at our secure server.
  
• Or by Check, payable to the Fluoride Action Network. Send your check to:
  
  Fluoride Action Network
  c/o Connett
  104 Walnut Street
  Binghamton NY 13905  

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Thank you, 

Paul Connett, PhD
Director
Fluoride Action Network

F.A.N. Newsletter

The Fluoride Action Network, through our web page, bulletins and social media, provides a huge amount of information on fluoride and fluoridation to our supporters, researchers, the public, the media, decision-makers and most importantly our active campaigners. Ellen daily updates our newstracker and our studytracker and tomorrow she will give you a tour through the goldmine of "everything fluoride." She will provide a route map so you can more easily find the hidden treasures on our web page.

Much of this material is intended for those who already know something or even a lot about fluoride. But second -an even larger task -is to provide information to people who know nothing or very little about fluoride. This includes the millions of people in the handful of fluoridated countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, Israel, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK who often unknowingly consume fluoridated water every day of their lives. Government agencies, professional bodies and the media are not warning them about the serious risks involved (particularly to the developing brain). If FAN doesn't warn them who will?

We also have to warn them that the various agencies that promote this practice are not only ignoring or downplaying the risks but also wildly exaggerating any benefit from swallowing fluoride. Moreover, while claiming that they do this to help people from low-income families, they are actually making it worse for them, because those on low-income cannot afford avoidance measures and for a variety of reasons are more susceptible to fluoride's toxic effects.

But getting this information to people who need it is not an easy task. That is why we are developing a whole array of videos (and we have already had a lot to say about these), leaflets and one pagers to facilitate this effort. 

As far as leaflets and one pagers are concerned if and when we get people's attention we need to have something short and simple for them to read.

Over the years we have tried to do this with colorful leaflets and one-pagers. Michael produced a number of these in the past and more recently Jay and others have added to the menu.  We would appreciate your suggestions on filling gaps in this list of support material.

Below we have listed and given links to many of these, and we will be unveiling a new handout in the coming days.

But whether we are dealing with people who know a lot about fluoride, or very little, it is essential that we are accurate; that we don't exaggerate or mislead. We all make mistakes but it is essential that when we do so we admit them and correct them. Unlike our opponents our campaign is about education not deception. It is easier for us because the science and the truth is on our side.

But first an update on our fundraiser:

Our current total stands at $136,308 from 471 donors.  Our goal is to raise $250,000 by midnight Dec 31.

This is a huge task and we have only four more days left to get to this ambitious but necessary goal. Each day we hope for an avalanche of donations but, although we have had wonderful support from many individuals, we have yet to see that avalanche. Maybe today, will be the day! 

Once again, Dr. Mercola is doing all he can to inspire us and again he will double donations (up to a total of $1000) today. Do we have any other benefactors who will offer similar pledges?

Large or small every donation will count. Please consider approaching family and friends to help in these next few critical days. We have an outstanding pledge of $500 when we reach a total 500 donors, which we should do today. And another benefactor has added $500 to the $600 already pledged when we reach 600 donors.

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How to make a tax-deductible donation to FAN:

• Online at our secure server.
  
• Or by Check, payable to the Fluoride Action Network. Send your check to:
  
  Fluoride Action Network
  c/o Connett
  104 Walnut Street
  Binghamton NY 13905  

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Handouts and Talking Points for Educating Neighbors and Decision-makers

• 4-page color EJ brochure
• Moms2B Handout
• 10 Facts About Fluoride Handout
• 10 Facts About Fluoride Brochure
• Quick Facts (2-pages)
• Three Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation 
• Who Opposes Fluoridation?
• A Response to Pro-Fluoridation Claims 
• 50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation
• Neurotoxin Campaign Poster
• Infant Warning Overview Handout
• Additional Infant Warning Statements
• Infant Warning Poster
• Mercola/FAN Reducing Exposure to Fluoride Handout
• Mercola/FAN Fluoridation Overview Handout

Thank you,

Paul Connett, PhD
Director
Fluoride Action Network

$14k on fluoride campaign tops Clark County election spending

Campaign finance reports filed earlier this month show advocates of a campaign to add fluoride to Springfield’s water supply spent about $14,200 to promote the effort, the largest expenditure for any local race in November’s election.

Post-general election campaign finance reports provided by the Clark County Board of Elections show a committee called Citizens Together For Good Health received about $3,800 in contributions since the previous finance report had been filed, and had almost $12,000 on hand as the campaign neared Election Day.

That committee spent the bulk of its money — more than $8,000 — with Shiftology Communications, a Springfield advertising firm, on outreach, advertising and postcards, according to a statement of expenditures attached to the finance report.

The issue asked voters to consider adding fluoride to the city of Springfield’s water supply. About 54 percent of voters rejected the proposal, compared to 46 percent in favor. Those in favor of the move argued it would improve oral health in the city but opponents said there are other ways for residents to take care of their teeth and the city water should be left alone. No organized opposition filed campaign finance reports.

Finance reports showed the Community Health Foundation was the biggest contributor to the fluoride campaign in the latest campaign finance cycle, providing a check for $2,500 in October.

Fluoride Agenda

Signup

By Prepare for Change

Fluoride is a nasty poison that can wreak havoc on your body.

Countless studies have found that fluoride is associated with a lower IQ, fatigue, bone cancer, immune system disruption, thyroid disease, and even decreased fertility.

Even worse, the government’s agenda is to convince communities that fluoride is essential for preventing cavities, so it continues to be added to drinking water, toothpaste, mouthwash, and even prescription drugs.

While it is clear you cannot rely on the government to protect your health, the good news is that you can use this 2 step approach to fight back and reduce fluoride exposure and detoxify accumulated fluoride from your body.

Step 1: Reduce Fluoride Exposure Immediately

Repeated fluoride exposure causes accumulation in the body. Only around 50% of the fluoride you are exposed to is excreted and the rest is stored in your teeth, bones, pineal gland, and several other tissues. As a result, the more fluoride you are exposed to, the more dangerous it becomes to your body.

This is why it is essential to immediately reduce your exposure to fluoride.

Here are the most common sources of fluoride and how to avoid them:

• Teflon: Non-stick pots and pans can increase the amount of fluoride in your food by up to 300%. Stick to stable-high heat oils and you will not need non-stick cooking ware.
• Non-organic: Anything that is not organic, be it wine, fruit, or vegetables, are contaminated with high levels of fluoride. That is because non-organic farmers often use a fluoride-based pesticide called cryolite.
• Tap Water: If your tap water is not from a private well, there is a high chance it is fluoridated. Bottled water is not any better. The best option is to install a water filter that removes contaminants like fluoride.
• Toothpaste: Just because you do not swallow toothpaste, does not mean the fluoride cannot get into your body. Simply switch out your existing toothpaste for a fluoride-free toothpaste.

Step 2: Effectively Detox Fluoride

It is impossible to completely avoid exposure to fluoride, which it is why you must detoxify fluoride from your body.  One mineral in particular, zeolite, has unique properties known for detoxifying fluoride and other toxins and heavy metals.

Zeolite is a natural mineral that chelates toxins. This means that it binds to toxins like a magnet, pulls them from your system, and helps your body excrete them.

Since around 50% of the fluoride you are exposed to is stored in the body, zeolite is considered an ideal option for detoxing this toxin. Plus, if you regularly take zeolite, it can detoxify fluoride before it even has a chance to build up in your cells.

Not all zeolites are effective at detoxifying fluoride. In fact, most are completely ineffective.

When mined, zeolite has already been in the ground awhile, soaking up lead, arsenic, and other environmental toxins and heavy metals like a sponge. If ingested in its raw form, freshly mined zeolite would be too big and too dirty to work properly.

The one you need is the liquid zeolite, Pure Body, made by Touchstone Essentials.

Why is this particular zeolite supplement so important?

Pure Body is specially processed so that the zeolite particles are cleansed and sized small enough to pass through the body where fluoride is stored. Pure Body is then tested by third-party labs for purity and sizing.

TL&DR

Fluoride is a dangerous toxin. Despite its massive list of terrible side effects, fluoride is still added to your drinking water, food, and toothpaste.

F.A.N. Newsletter

In yesterday's bulletin we published part of a very inspiring email we received from a generous supporter. She wrote:

In a world where truth is taking a beating on so many levels, knowing you continue to bring to the public the truth about fluoride makes my heart smile! 

How much does our bringing the truth about fluoride to the public mean to you? Do we make your heart smile?

If it does -and if you have yet to donate to FAN during this fundraiser - please bring some smiles to us!  Please help us to reach our ambitious - but very necessary - goal of raising $250, 000 by midnight Dec 31. 

So far we have raised $132,634, and that is wonderful but we still have a long way to go with only a few days left to get there.

Today all donations up to $1000 will be doubled by Dr. Mercola.

We are extremely grateful to the 450 supporters who have already donated. When we reach 500, a benefactor has pledged to donate $500 (and $600 when we reach 600, and so on up to $1000, if we can reach a 1000 donors).

So every donation today - both large and small - will help us bring more smiles in 2019.

Paul and Ellen Connett
on behalf of the FAN fundraiser team

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How to make a tax-deductible donation to FAN:

• Online at our secure server.
  
• Or by Check, payable to the Fluoride Action Network. Send your check to:
  
  Fluoride Action Network
  c/o Connett
  104 Walnut Street
  Binghamton NY 13905  

Juneau fluoride study confirms old science, but doesn’t sway opponents

Pediatric dentist Kim Hort adjusts the dentist’s chair in SEARHC’s Juneau dental clinic where she works on Dec. 19, 2018. Hort says the vast majority of patients she sees are at high risk of cavities. (Photo by Jeremy Hsieh/KTOO)

About 12 years ago, Juneau became one of many American cities to stop fluoridating its tap water. Unlike the others, a public health researcher decided to study the real-world aftermath of ending fluoridation in Juneau.

Back then, the science predicted more cavities. Later, local dentists anecdotally reported more cavities. And now, there’s new research confirming there are more cavities.

Jennifer Meyer is a public health researcher with a new study in the journal BMC Oral Health. She talks about tooth decay and cavities the way dentists do — she calls them “caries.”

And after studying what happened in Juneau to children under six, this is her takeaway: “By taking the fluoride out of the water supply … the trade-off for that is children are going to experience one additional caries procedure per year, at a ballpark (cost) of $300 more per child.”

Meyer can talk about it in terms of money because she studied the complete set of Medicaid dental claims for two years filed for kids in Juneau’s main ZIP code. She got a year’s worth of data before fluoride went away, and another year’s worth five years after it went away. For about 1,900 kids total.

“So I looked at every single record for every single child in that sample in both groups, and it took weeks. I just have to cry a little, because it was a lot of time,” Meyer said.

For children under six, here’s what happened.

When the water was fluoridated, on average they had about one-and-a-half cavity-related procedures per year. After fluoride was gone, that went up to about two-and-a-half procedures a year. There was an increase for older kids, too, but it was less dramatic.

The expense adds up.

“The cost to have a fluoride management program, to actually fluoridate the water, is pennies by comparison to what it costs to treat a cavity,” Meyer said.

It would be more expensive for anyone — not just for the public by providing dental care through Medicaid. But Meyer said people with less money are especially vulnerable when fluoride goes away.

For example, parents can get prescriptions for fluoride tablets.

“I think that’s a great option for people, but it’s also a headache,” Meyer said. “You gotta get the prescriptions filled, you gotta remember to give it, you’ve gotta make sure kids don’t take more than one — you know, there’s risks to that. … It sets up a precedent for inequity.”

“I believe I have the right to have a public water supply that is pure and to decide for myself what medicines I wish to take, and I just don’t wish to be exposed to a toxic chemical, fluoride,” Ham said.But Meyer’s research isn’t winning over longtime fluoride opponents like David Ham, who was active in the movement to take fluoride out of Juneau’s water in 2006.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, European Union and other government and medical institutions have long held that low levels of fluoride in drinking water are safe.

“My issue is that we’re asking the wrong question here, you know? … And let’s get to the root cause and put a tax on sugary drinks and all of these other things, or do whatever we can to support good health through good diet,” Ham said.

He calls fluoridation “a Band-Aid” fix.