Florida Bans Fluoride in Tap Water

(MENAFN) Florida has officially become the second state in the U.S. to outlaw the inclusion of fluoride in municipal water systems, following the enactment of a new statute endorsed by Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday, according to a news agency.

The legislation allows only substances specifically used to improve water safety, address pollution, or meet legal guidelines—thereby prohibiting fluoride.

“Use fluoride for your teeth, that’s fine,” DeSantis, a Republican, stated during the bill signing, which ends a long-standing public health initiative present throughout many American regions.

“But forcing it into the water supply is basically forced medication on people. They don’t have a choice.”

As per the report, this decision is consistent with a recommendation made in November by Florida’s controversial Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo.

He discouraged fluoridation of community water supplies, citing claimed health risks. State health statistics show that over 70 percent of Florida residents using public water currently receive fluoridated supplies.

Fluoride, a mineral naturally found in the environment and also a secondary product of fertilizer manufacture, has been endorsed for decades by health organizations like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.

These agencies advocate for its regulated use in tap water to combat tooth decay.

Nevertheless, certain scientific research has associated elevated fluoride intake during pregnancy with decreased intelligence scores and behavioral problems in offspring, prompting concern about its possible effects on brain development.

MENAFN18052025000045017167ID1109563533