TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – A significant move by the Senate Committee on Government is shaking up Arizona’s public water systems. The committee has passed Senate Bill 1019, a bill aiming to ban fluoride additives in public drinking water.
SB 1019, sponsored by former Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp, seeks to prohibit the addition of fluoride, or fluoride-containing compounds, to public water systems statewide. Shamp, who has a background in healthcare as a registered nurse, introduced the bill due to legal concerns about fluoridation practices and the availability of voluntary fluoride products.
“I’m grateful for my colleagues’ support in advancing this bill,” Shamp said. “Healthcare freedom should not be partisan. Arizonans deserve the right to make informed choices about what goes into their bodies, especially when it comes to something as personal as healthcare.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights that fluoride’s primary benefit is topical, best applied directly to teeth. With more than 95% of toothpaste in the U.S. containing fluoride, families have numerous ways to maintain dental health without relying on fluoride in public water systems.
“Today, every resident is forced to ingest fluoride through public water, whether they need it or want it,” Shamp said. “That strips away informed consent. With fluoride widely available through toothpaste and other voluntary options, government has no justification for medicating water.”
Fluoridation has been a contentious issue, especially as dental care access and fluoride alternatives have increased. SB 1019 addresses concerns about a one-size-fits-all approach to medicating water, emphasizing individual choice, particularly for children, seniors, and those with specific health sensitivities.
Original article online at: https://www.kvoa.com/news/arizona/arizona-senate-bill-targets-fluoride-in-tucsons-water-systems/article_c6a3c421-3e5c-402e-a7ff-c1f14b898427.html