CALLS to halt fluoride being added to public drinking water have been backed by Renfrewshire Council.
It is claimed the chemical helps stop child tooth decay.
But fluoride has also been linked to cancer and hip fractures.
The Scottish Executive is currently carrying out consultation on the issue and is looking for public opinion right up until Tuesday, February 18.
Councillor Derek Mackay asked the full meeting of Renfrewshire Council to reject moves to put fluoride in the water.
And they did by 26 votes to 12 with the Labour group being given a free vote on the issue.
Marion Munro, secretary of the Scottish Pure Water Association (SPWA), welcomed the news.
The gran, who started her campaign back in the late 1960s after reading about fluoridation in the Paisley Daily Express, said: “People must be allowed to make their own decision about what they drink.
“I think it is very important that the council have made this decision because it is the biggest council outside of our four main cities.
Important
“The council’s decision is important because a lot of people don’t want this in their water.
Marion, from Erskine, added: “It has always been our position that this amounts to mass fluoridation.
“We feel that we have won this argument, and the question of mass medication should be accepted.”
Councillor Mackay said: “I feel very strongly about this. I think we have to take a precautionary approach because we don’t know if it damages people’s health.
“It is mass medication, and I object to it because there is no research that shows improvements to dental health.
“However there is research to suggest that fluoride causes cancer.
“There are too many unanswered questions.”
The Executive will now be told that councillors in this area are against any move to put fluoride into public water supplies.
Dr Sheila Gibson, consultant to the SPWA, added: “I am delighted that they are showing so much sense in rejecting this toxic substance going into our water supply.
“This is a vote to help Scotland improve its health.”
Print 
PDF