Lawmakers in Florida gave final passage to a bill banning fluoride in public water systems on Tuesday, with the state House voting 88 yay and 27 nay.
SB 700, also known as the Florida Farm Bill, doesn’t mention the word “fluoride,” but would effectively ban the chemical compound by preventing “the use of certain additives in a water system.” The bill now awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature.
If Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signs the bill, Florida will become the second state to ban fluoride from water supplies.
Utah’s Gov. Spencer Cox, also a Republican, signed a bill in late March that prohibits any person or government entity from adding the cavity-fighting mineral from the state’s water systems, making it the first state to do so. It will go into effect on May 7.
During a Florida House session Tuesday, lawmakers in support of the bill argued that fluoride does not improve water quality and removing it from water systems could save local governments money. Opponents of the bill argued that everyday Floridians rely on fluoride for dental health.
“This bill doesn’t hurt the wealthy. They’ll keep seeing private dentists, getting their expensive treatments and flashing their perfect smiles,” Rep. Daryl Campbell, D-Fl., said during the session. “But for everyday Floridians, the people who clock in at 6 a.m., who can’t take time off — off for their dental visits, who rely on water from their taps to protect their kids, this bill takes a safe and proven and affordable public health tool and rips it away.”
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Author: Dillon B
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