Dear Supporter,
There was a major fluoride-free victory this month in New Zealand, and today is the deadline for fluoridation to be shut off for the 150,000 residents in the city of Hamilton. On June 5, the Hamilton city council vote 7-1 to make the city the second largest unfluoridated community in the country.
While the effort was spearheaded by Fluoride Action Network New Zealand, there were many others involved, including Fluoride Free Hamilton, the members of the fluoride Tribunal, the 120 people who testified at the hearings (including FAN Director Paul Connett, PhD.), and the nearly 1,400 residents who petitioned the council to end fluoridation. Here is a much more comprehensive list put together by Fluoride Free Hamilton of experts who testified and supplied written testimony.
The victory has caused the dental community in New Zealand to attack the decision and call for a referendum to overturn the council’s vote. Mary Byrne, the National Coordinator for FAN-NZ, wrote a comprehensive review of the backlash following the Hamilton victory.
Listen to Dr. Paul Connett discuss his thoughts on the historic victory in Hamilton in this short radio interview while on the Vinny Eastwood Show.
More Celebrities Oppose Fluoridation
This week actor, comedian, and environmentalist Rob Schneider expressed his strong opposition to water fluoridation during an interview with Fox news affiliate WNYF-TV in Watertown, New York. Schneider calls fluoride a “toxic poison” and urges people to get involved, saying “get it out of your water…you have to fight for it.” His response is at the 4:00 minute mark.
Schneider’s comments come as the city council in Watertown, NY is debating ending fluoridation. You can learn more about the campaign in Watertown, and get involved by visiting Watertown Anti-Fluoridation Action
Comedian and political commentator, Bill Maher also recently spoke out in opposition to fluoridation. While being interviewed he was asked what he thought about the recent fluoridation vote in Portland, Oregon. He replied, “I would have voted no as well…don’t add it to water, let consumers make their own choice.”
Maher and Schneider are not the only celebrities who have openly opposed fluoridation. Earlier this year Ed Begley Jr. and Ed Asner filmed fluoride-free public service announcements. In years past, actor Martin Sheen, actor and fitness expert Suzanne Somers, bodybuilding world champion Dorian Yates, and actor and former Governor Jessie Ventura have all come out against fluoridation, bringing greater awareness to the issue.
Mercury Amalgam Petition
Please take a moment to sign and share this important Change.org petition created by Consumers for Dental Choice. It petitions the CEO of the dental supply manufacturer Dentsply to end the production of mercury amalgam fillings. These fillings are an environmental pollutant and a serious health risk.
Help us remind the dental industry to prioritize safety over profits:
PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE THE PETITION
Connecticut Statewide Mandate Hearing
Connecticut is one of 13 states that use state law to mandate the artificial fluoridation of all public water supplies. However, Connecticut State Senator Joe Markley (R-16) has recently introduced legislation that eliminates this statewide fluoridation mandate, giving municipalities local control over fluoridation, and citizens a way to fight back.
Senate Bill 131 (SB-131) eliminates the existing requirement to add fluoride to public water supplies of communities serving 20,000 or more, a requirement that has been in place for over 50 years. SB-131 has been referred to the Committee on Public Health where it will have its first public hearing next week on June 26 from 11am-4pm in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
This is the opportunity we have all been waiting for in Connecticut, and we must take advantage of it. This is our chance to end the statewide mandate and watch as communities reject fluoridation one-after-another.
If you are a public health or scientific professional, or a CT resident with fluorosis (or parents of a fluorosis victim), and you can attend the public hearing to provide testimony, then please email FAN’s Campaign Manager. We expect this bill to have a lot of opposition, so we need all of the expert testimony we can get.
If you are a public health or scientific professional, or a CT resident and cannot attend, any you can submit written testimony in support of SB-131 by emailing the Public Health Committee clerk: PHC.Testimony@cga.ct.gov. Here are Talking Points for your emails.
FAN’s Director and co-author of the book “The Case Against Fluoride”, Dr. Paul Connett, will be providing testimony at the hearing, and will also be giving a presentation the evening of the 26th. We will be providing more details as we get closer to the hearing date.
Sincerely,
Stuart Cooper
FAN, Campaign Manager
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