A new poll finds that New jersey residents are divided over the benefits of fluoridated water.

Fairleigh Dickinson political science professor Dan Cassino says half of New Jersey’s residents believe fluoride in drinking water is a good thing while 34 percent are not convinced.

Cassino says Just 15 percent of Garden State residents receive fluoridated water because most municipal water systems in New Jersey serve multiple communities and any of them can prevent fluoride from being added to the water.

“The way you set the water system means that even a small group of people who are worried about fluoride being a government mind control plot, which is a more widely accepted view than you might think, can block fluoridation for almost any large municipal water sources.”

Cassino says much of the opposition to fluoridation comes from people who don’t trust the government.

“If you don’t trust the government, you’re not going to trust it to provide these essential services that you need every day. We all need water. You get it from the government. So if you don’t trust the government, you’re not going to trust it to do anything, even the stuff you actually need.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fluoridation is safe and effective in preventing tooth decay.

*Original article online at http://www.wbgo.org/post/many-nj-residents-skeptical-about-benefits-fluoridation#stream/0

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