Florida Bans Fluoride From Public Water

Topline Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Thursday banning fluoride from the state’s public water, making it the second state to do so as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has advocated against the use of it. DeSantis has characterized the use of fluoride in public water as “forced medication.” (Photo by Joe ... More Raedle/Getty Images) Key Facts DeSantis, who has called fluoride “forced medication,” signed the Florida Farm Bill, which prevents local governments from putting fluoride in their water systems. DeSantis said at the bill’s signing “people think they know better for you... that they should decree how you live your lives,” the Tallahassee Democrat reported. The law will go into effect starting July 1, nearly two months after Utah’s fluoride ban will have been in effect. The bill’s signing comes amid Kennedy’s concerted push against fluoride, saying last month he planned to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending the use of fluoride in public water throughout the U.S., something that has been done for several decades. Kennedy has long associated the use of fluoride with lower IQ and bone conditions, while health experts have insisted the amount of fluoride needed to cause such conditions is higher than the level typically found in public water. Big Number 62.9%. That is the share of Americans whose water systems were fluoridated as of 2020, according to CDC data. What To Watch For Outside of directing the CDC to stop recommending fluoride, Kennedy cannot directly order American communities to stop fluoridation. However, he could go to the Environmental Protection Agency to modify the allowed amount of fluoride in public water. Key Background Kennedy has long associated the use of fluoride with lower IQ and bone conditions, while health experts have insisted the amount of fluoride needed to cause such conditions is higher than the level typically found in public water. A review from the Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program found fluoride concentrations above the World Health Organization’s recommendations for drinking water quality “are consistently associated with lower IQ in children.” The World Health Organization’s guidelines call for drinking water quality of 1.5 milligrams per liter of fluoride, whereas the U.S. Public Health Service calls for a recommended level of 0.7 milligrams per liter, which is generally followed by several major cities across the U.S. like Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, New York and more. However, authors of the review noted more studies are needed to understand fluoride’s impact and that the review’s results did not “provide clarity on the association between fluoride exposure and cognitive or neurodevelopmental human health effects.” Fluoride has been used in public water at a large scale since the early 1950s and the American Dental Association has considered its presence in water as the most effective way to prevent cavities. Further Reading Utah Bans Fluoride In Public Water (Forbes) Kennedy Will Tell CDC To Stop Recommending Fluoride In Drinking Water, Report Says (Forbes) This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/05/15/florida-bans-fluoride-from-public-water-following-utahs-suit/