Dear Supporter,
Before we review the year’s top fluoridation videos or provide our fundraising update, we have some good news from Quebec, Canada.
On Monday, December 1, the city council of La Prairie–a suburb on the South Shore of Montreal (population of 20,000)—passed a resolution to end fluoridation after 42 years of adding fluoride to the drinking water.
The unanimous council vote comes only weeks after 76% of residents in Richmond, Quebec voted to end fluoridation after three years of debate. The Richmond vote was particularly important because it was the first referendum in Quebec on fluoridation and the first real survey of public opinion. Richmond’s decision appears to have influenced the council in La Prairie in combination with the efforts of local campaigners. These latest victories bring Quebec’s fluoridation rate down to just 2.15% of residents.
The success in Canada hasn’t been limited to Quebec. Less than a month ago voters in both Prince George (pop. 71,000) and Sparwood, British Columbia voted in non-binding referendums to end fluoridation. The councils in both communities are expected to honor the votes, which should leave only four towns fluoridating drinking water and reduce British Columbia’s fluoridation rate to only 1.48% of residents.
We recently learned of a victory in September when the City Council of Shell Lake in Wisconsin made a unanimous decision to end fluoridation.
Fluoride Action Network Fundraising Update
Yesterday was another great day of fundraising. We have raised a total of $1,930 from 27 donors and we thank you for your donation. One of our members has offered to double all donations up to $1,500. This will truly help us in the effort to raise $150,000 from 1000 donors for FAN’s 2015 annual budget by midnight Dec 31.
If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation – large or small -you can either:
- Donate by using our secure online server.
- Donate by sending a check – payable to Fluoride Action Network – to:
FAN, 104 Walnut Street, Binghamton, NY 13905
You can also choose one of our exciting gifts available at different donation levels. Please note that the prices are coded to identify the gift you want to receive.
The Top Fluoride-Free Videos of 2014
2014 brought the fluoride-free movement some great content captured on film. And in this day and age, where most people—especially elected officials—don’t take the time or have the time to read through reams of fluoridation research and written materials, videos are becoming more important in the quest to educate people about the dangers of water fluoridation. To this end, the Fluoride Action Network has created FAN TV, where everyone can have free access to an extensive catalogue of films covering nearly every aspect of the fluoridation issue.
First, we need to acknowledge once again the excellent documentary produced by David Kennedy DDS in 2013. FLUORIDEGATE. An American Tragedy. This is a classic and a marvelous addition to the documentary literature. Dr. Kennedy has kindly donated copies of this DVD to FANs fundraiser.
Before we take a look at FAN TV, the following is review a handful of the top fluoridation videos of 2014:
- The Toxic Truth About Fluoride and Its Health Danger. This three-minute video from Dr. Mercola is a quick and creative introduction to the issue of water fluoridation and the arguments against the practice to share with your friends, family, and co-workers. Earlier this year Dr. Mercola also released this great 3-minute video, and last year he released a similar short video overview of fluoridation that you can see here.
- Why Seattle Should End Fluoridation, Paul Connett, PhD, Executive Director of the Fluoride Action Network, speaking in Seattle at the Town Hall Theater, March 17, 2014, on the health risks of the practice of water fluoridation and the propaganda that keeps this foolish practice still in place. The original video is 90 minutes long but has been edited down to a more manageable 58 minutes to make it a length suitable for posting on public access TV. This video should be standard viewing for everyone involved with individual campaigns. Check with your local access TV channel to see how to get it aired in your community.
- Legal Presentation on Fluoridation to Peel City Council. On June 26, 2014 a lawyer from one of Canada’s largest law firms presented the arguments before the Peel regional council in Ontario, Canada as to why fluoridation is illegal under the Canadian constitution and explaining why he believed a lawsuit against the practice would be successful.
- Michael Connett’s San Francisco Rally Presentation, Michael breaks the fluoride issue down at Clean Water California’s rally in San Francisco. Join the growing movement in San Francisco.
- The Great Fluoride Debate 2014, held this October in Prince George, British Columbia, which later voted to end the practice. In this video Dr. Connett debates Dr. Todd Whitcombe, an Associate Professor at the University of Northern British Columbia. You can also see Paul debate a water engineer in Boyne City, Michigan.
- Interview with Dr. Hans Moolenburgh, MD, a General Practitioner, explaining what he and other doctors saw when the Netherlands started fluoridating the drinking water, and why they campaigned to successfully end the practice. You can also see Dr. Moolenburgh discuss infant exposure to fluoride in this video appeal to the American Dietetic Association a few years ago.
- Paul Connett’s presentation at the 2014 IAOMT Conference, Paul’s presentation at the annual 2014 annual conference of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT).
- Fluoride is a Poison – Australian TV, a news report featuring scientific and health experts calling for an end to fluoridation.
- FAN Study Tracker, in this video, Michael Connett explains the features of FAN’s Study Tracker, which was released in March. With the Study Tracker, the published literture on fluoride’s toxicity will be more accessible.
- Professor Mark Diesendorf talks about fluoride and infants. In a recent interview this Australian professor tells the story of his fight with the “Pediatrics” journal in the 1990’s when he discovered that scientists had severely underestimated infant fluoride intake levels. This is an interesting story and takes about 11 minutes.
- New Zealand Dentists Speak Out Against Fluoridation, a great video featuring several dentists sharing their reasons for opposing water fluoridation. You can also view a video of Dr. Lawrie Brett speaking out individually.
- Dr. Paul Connett’s Dallas Testimony, on June 11. FAN’s Director testified before the Dallas city council. Campaigners might want to consider sharing it with local decision-makers.
- How Safe is Drinking Water, is a 30-minute interview with Dr. Bill Osmunson, DDS, about the lack of safety or effectiveness of fluoridation.
FAN’s video archives
The Fluoride Action Network has created an archive of professional quality videos on F.A.N.TV, which is home to a comprehensive catalogue of both full-length documentaries and short clips on fluoridation that are free to the general public. The videos feature FAN’s interviews with leading figures in fluoride research on the health concerns with current fluoride exposures and the history/politics of the water fluoridation program. There is both archival footage and contemporary clips.
Some of the films that can be found on FAN.TV include:
- Professional Perspectives on Water Fluoridation, featuring a Nobel Laureate in Medicine, three scientists from the National Research Council’s landmark review on fluoride, as well as dentists, medical doctors, and leading researchers in the field, this professionally produced 28 minute DVD presents a powerful indictment of the water fluoridation program.
- 10 Facts About Fluoride, Attorney Michael Connett summarizes 10 basic facts about fluoride that should be considered in any discussion about whether to fluoridate water. To download the flyer that accompanies this video, click here.
- The Fluoride Deception, an interview with Christopher Bryson, an award-winning journalist, former BBC producer, and author of “The Fluoride Deception”.
- Response to Dr. Wu, Dr. Jay Levy, a practicing dentist in Portland, exposes the demonstrably false claims recently made by Dr. Phillip Wu, in a video made by the pro-fluoridation advocacy group Healthy Kids, Healthy Portland.
- The Benefits of Water Fluoridation?, a succinct review of recent research showing that fluoridating water provides little to no benefit to teeth.
- Dr. William Hirzy & the EPA Union on Fluoridation, On June 29th, 2000, Dr. William Hirzy was invited to give testimony before a subcommitee of the U.S. Senate. At the time, Dr. Hirzy was serving his sixth term as the Senior Vice-President of EPA’s Headquarters Union of Scientists and Professionals. His presentation that day was, “Why EPA’s Union of Professionals Opposes Fluoridation.” This is a video that documents the presentation along with interviews with Dr. Hirzy where he describes the reasoning behind the professional and official stance of his Union members in direct opposition to the EPA’s administrative support of fluoridation.
- The Politics of Fluoride, a short 5-minute introduction to how political pressures have thwarted scientific inquiry into fluoride’s risks. The video features interviews with several scientists, including Sir Iain Chalmers and Dr. Phyllis Mullenix.
- Why I Changed My Mind on Fluoridation, In this 1998 interview, Dr. John Colquhoun (dentist, researcher, and former Principle Dental Officer for the Auckland, New Zealand Health District) explains why he went from being New Zealand’s leading promoter of fluoridation to being an opponent of the practice. Despite its technical limitations, this is Paul Connett’s favorite interview.
- The Arizona Fluoridation Debate, an unprecedented full one-on-one Lincoln/Douglas style debate with powerpoint presentations featuring FAN’s Director and co-author of “The Case Against Fluoride”, Paul Connett, PhD, squaring off against Arizona dentist and long-time fluoridation proponent, Howard Farran, DDS.
- Ed Asner: Fluoride should be a choice, not a mandate, In this short PSA, Ed Asner explains why he opposes water fluoridation. He states that “common sense and common decency” suggest that, no matter how much a dentist or doctor might like a given medicine, in this case fluoride, they have no right to force it on an entire community, including those who don’t want it and those who are particularly vulnerable to harm.
- Ed Begley, Jr.: Many studies link fluoride to reduced IQ, In this short PSA, Begleyaddresses recent research linking elevated fluoride exposure to reduced IQ. Based on this and other research, Begley has added his voice to the growing number of people calling for an end to fluoridation.
Tell us what your favorite fluoride videos are, whether they are on our list or not, and we will share them in a future bulletin. Just email Ellen (ellen@fluoridealert.org).
Sincerely,
Stuart Cooper
Campaign Manager
Fluoride Action Network
____________________________________
See all FAN bulletins