There’s a major storm brewing throughout the Wichita, Kansas area. Although this storm won’t produce the obvious immediate destruction of an F5 tornado, many experts argue it has the long-term potential to be just as destructive to our health and environment—it’s water fluoridation.
Once again, Wichita’s municipal water system is the targeted kingpin to topple as it continues to stand among the largest cities in the U.S. remaining fluoridation-free. This time formidable allies of water fluoridation mounted pressure to ram their fluoridation measure through the Wichita City Council meeting on August 22. Despite the $250,000 pledge by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund and a commitment for $800,000 more from other donors to assist with start-up costs, the measure still failed to gain a majority of Council votes. Strong public opposition to the water fluoridation measure was clear—this is for the public to decide. The measure will appear on the November 6th ballot.
Political momentum behind the strong media push to fluoridate Wichita’s water supply was largely initiated by the not-for-profit Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) and the American Dental Association (ADA). There’s also a long list of medical endorsements including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association (AMA), Kansas Academy of Family Physicians (KAFP), Kansas Health Institute (KHI), state and federal health agencies, and many spin-off dental and medical associations, foundations, clinics and care units, and the United Methodist Church and its health ministries (strong promoters of water fluoridation).
In addition to the full and half page ads and news articles featured in The Wichita Eagle during the initial surge, KHF financial resources helped to aggressively promote the pro-fluoridation message through television, radio, billboard ads, social media and websites. Two of these websites are designed to spoof the opposition, creating pro-fluoridation websites FluorideFreeKansas.COM and WichitansForPureWater.com to counter the opposing independent scientific research and information presented on FluorideFreeKansas.ORG and WichitaPureWater.com.
The pro-fluoridation initiative also included door-to-door solicitations. The 11,000 plus signatures exceeded the requirement for introducing the fluoridation referendum to the Wichita City Council to force immediate compliance or a public vote.
Everyday Wichitans are exposed to the pro-fluoridation message: Fighting tooth decay through water fluoridation is “beyond dispute” as an effective way to help protect our children’s teeth. Adding to the incentive is the theoretical $4.5 million savings in dental care every year. Let’s face it, how could anyone disagree when every major dental and medical association and public health agency glorifies water fluoridation as one of the great health achievements of our time? …
Print 
PDF