TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida lawmakers in both the House and Senate have passed what’s being called the “Farm Bill.” It takes up a number of issues, but one section is being debated the most: Should fluoride be in drinking water? And who gets to decide that?
From Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the state’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, the trend of removing fluoride from drinking water has become a popular debate. On Tuesday at the Florida state capitol, lawmakers debated concerns for and against fluoride.
“Does the government have the right, by a mere simple majority vote, to put medicines and drugs and chemicals into your body that you did not consent to?” said State Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Hillsborough County.
Alvarez, the bill’s sponsor, said he isn’t arguing against the benefits fluoride has for the body.
“What we argue is that we can’t force you to have it or any other drug that some simple majority may believe is good for you in the future,” he said.
However, Democrats across the aisle have criticized Republicans’ motives, saying politics is overriding common sense, pointing to concerns of higher health care costs and worsening health disparities for people who have less access to dental care.
“There is nothing friendly about cavities, nothing friendly about cavities. Believe me, you don’t want to do this statewide. You don’t want to make this decision for every single person in the state. You want to leave control at the local level,” said State Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton.
“I’m very concerned that when you force local governments to remove this from the water systems, you’re ignoring the will of their local constituents who want to keep it in the water system,” said State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, D-Orlando.
The bill passed 88-27.
Florida would be the second state behind Utah to ban fluoride if signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.