Marcia Brooks on Monday asked Crystal River City Council to consider ending the fluoridation of its city water.
Brooks spoke of the dangers of fluoridation to pregnant women and to infants.
“I am trying to keep my family safe,” Brooks said. “The fluoride naturally occurring in the ground is not what we are adding to the water. What the dentist is putting on our teeth is different from what is being put in the water. Studies show there is an unreasonable risk to pregnant women and specifically reduced levels of IQ in infants.”
Brooks presented a May 2023 article by the Epoch Times, an often criticized news organization founded by members of the Chinese spiritual movement Falun Gong, that cited two studies of IQ decline in infants who drank fluoridated water. One study, published in 2018, found symptoms of ADHD in children ages 6 to 12 in Mexico City who drank fluoridated water. The other study, published in 2019, found lower IQs in infants in Canada who drank fluoridated water when compared to infants who did not.
Crystal River City Council Member Cindi Frink, who said she worked as a dental hygienist, was against fluoride being added to the water.
“I don’t believe the government should be pushing for chemicals to be added to the water,” Frink said. “I don’t think it needs to be in there.”
Crystal River Mayor Joe Meek said he was aware of Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s recommendation against fluoridation.
“I am far from an expert,” Meek said. “It seems like it has become quite an issue of late. I agree, I have to follow what the recommendations are. I see a lot of other utilities are ending it.”
Crystal River City Attorney Rob Batsel Jr. said no formal action would be necessary for the city to turn off the fluoridation. He said there is no city code governing fluoridation and technically the city manager or staff could end fluoridation.
There has been significant activity the past 14 months in Florida regarding fluoridation.
In February 2024, the Collier County Commission unanimously voted to cease adding fluoride to the county’s public water supply.
In November 2024, Ladapo made his recommendation to cease fluoridation.
On Nov. 14, 2024, the city of Winter Haven voted to remove fluoride from its drinking water.
In December 2024, the Naples City Council decided to stop fluoridating its municipal water system.
On Feb. 6, 2025, Hillsborough County Commissioners voted to continue adding fluoride to the county’s drinking water.
On April 1, 2025, the Miami-Dade County Commission voted to remove fluoride from its water supply; however, its mayor vetoed it on April 11.
SB 700, dubbed the “farm bill” is moving through the state Senate and would ban the addition of fluoride to public water systems.
According to Florida Today, as of December 2024, approximately 70 percent of Florida’s community water systems continue to fluoridate their water.
Frink said Crystal River’s residents need to weigh in on the topic.
“I just want to make sure the public is aware we are doing this,” Frink said. “People need to voice their opinion on it. I think it is important we do bring this up for a public hearing. They need to have their voices heard.”
Original article online at: https://www.chronicleonline.com/news/local/fluoridation-under-fire-crystal-river-resident-urges-ending-practice/article_fb3ed364-239f-58df-bc45-a6a289de0c81.html