Thursday, December 21, 2006

McKinleyville Mulls Fluoride

I see Mckinleyville is now considering adding fluoride to their water supply. Looks like most on their district Board of Directors are in favor of it. At least one person showed up at the meeting to oppose fluoridation describing fluoride as a "toxic poison".

I'm disappointed that personal choice in regards to the use of fluoride doesn't seem to have been brought up.

22 Comments:

At 10:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fred:

Fluoride is federally mandated re the clean water act in all cities with populations over approx 45k (I don't have the exact number.) Choice has nothing to do with it although admittedly Mck's population is under that which is federally mandated

 
At 10:30 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

I realize that, but federal mandates be damned!

The thing is, not only is Mckinleyville NOT required to add fluoride, they're thinking of doing it anyway.

I'm not worried about the health effects of fluoride myself, but some are. They shouldn't have this literally shoved down their throats.

What bothers me the most about this is that personal choice doesn't seem to even be considered on this [and many other issues].

People think it's totally ok to shove something down other people's throats as long as they can get 51% of the vote. I guess that thing we used to say to each other as children, "Majority Rules", has had a greater impact than we would have thought.

We just accept the violence, albeit via the ballot box, as part of everyday life.

 
At 10:31 AM, Blogger Pogo said...

Personal choice and government enacted law/regulation? Surely you jest.

 
At 11:32 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just thought you might want to know that there is NO federal mandate for water fluoridation. According to United States Code Title 42 section 11....No national primary drinking water regulation may reguire the addition of any substance for preventive health care purposes unrelated to contamination of drinking water.
Please fight the addition of this toxic substance in your water. See fluoridealert.org for all the information you need.

 
At 11:40 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

I believe there is some state law requiring fluoridation, though, isn't there?

 
At 11:46 AM, Blogger FluorideNews said...

New York – December 21 -- Legislators and officials are responding to newly published evidence of fluoride's adverse effects and rejecting fluoridation.

This December, Juneau, Alaska and Martin County, Florida voted fluoride out of their drinking water. A Tennessee state legislator urged water companies to stop fluoridation. And the Vermont Department of Health sent a fluoridation warning to all Vermont dentists and pediatricians.

December 19, Martin County, Florida commissioners reversed their 2002 fluoridation mandate. Commissioners said fluoride studies raised health doubts, and they weren’t convinced an oral health problem exists in their county.(1)

December 11, the Juneau, Alaska assembly decided to stop fluoridation. One assemblyman said, “…many medical experts are against providing fluoride to infants… I think I prefer the cautious approach," reports the Juneau Empire.(2)

Tennessee State legislator Dr. Joey Hensley, also a physician, urged all Tennessee water departments to stop fluoridation, in letters dated December 4. (3) One city announced plans to stop January 2007.(4)

According to Hensley, “information is now coming out showing that the health risks associated with drinking fluoridated water significantly outweigh fluoride’s limited cavity fighting action.”

In March 2006, the National Research Council’s (NRC) long-awaited report revealed that fluoride jeopardizes health - even at low levels. Dental fluorosis is now an adverse health effect, bone fractures are now of concern, arthritis like pain and stiffness in joints is now a result of low levels of fluoride exposure, tiny amounts of fluoride can cause thyroid depression and brain damage, according to the NRC report.

One NRC fluoride panel member was Tennessee risk assessment expert Kathleen Thiessen, PhD, who wrote to the Governor of Tennessee, "I support Representative Joey Hensley's recent recommendation that Tennessee water agencies stop adding fluoride to their water, and I encourage you to do so as well."(5)

Dr. Thiessen works for Senes Oak Ridge, a human health and ecologic risk assessment firm, whose clients include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Per the American Dental Association’s precedent-setting advice, the
Vermont Department of Health notified Vermont dentists and pediatricians, to warn parents against using fluoridated water for infant formula.(6) to avoid tooth- discoloring dental fluorosis.

Acushnet, Massachusetts Board of Health asked New Bedford officials to halt its pending fluoridation of the shared water supply and alert the public of adverse aspects.(7)

“Demand your community halt or decline fluoridation. Fluoridation is ineffective, unnecessary, and harmful,” says lawyer Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation.

Also, in 2005 and 2006 over 15 communities rejected fluoridation in at least 13 States and British Columbia.(8)



References:
(1) "Martin votes against fluoridating water," Palm Beach Post, December 19, 2006 http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2006/12/19/1219fluoride.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=17
(2) "City gives final word: No fluoride," Juneau Empire, December 12, 2006
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/121206/loc_20061212020.shtml

(3) “Physician-Legislator Advises Tennessee Water Districts to Halt Water Fluoridation,” News Release from the Lillie Center, Inc., December 6, 2006
http://www.fluorideaction.net/press/hensley.htm

(4) "Water districts cautioned against fluoride," The Herald-News, December 13, 2006
http://www.rhea.xtn.net/index.php?template=news.view.subscriber&table=news&newsid=135784

(5a) "Noted Risk Assessment Expert Advises TN Governor to End Fluoridation," News Release by the Lillie Center, Inc., December 19, 2006

http://www.fluorideaction.net/press/thiessen.htm

(5b) December 13, 2006, letter to Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen by Kathleen M. Thiessen, PhD

http://www.fluoridealert.org/thiessen-letter.pdf

(5c) “Water fluoridation: Suggested issues for consideration.” By
Kathleen M. Thiessen, PhD, December 13, 2006
http://www.fluoridealert.org/thiessen-statement.pdf


(6) "Health dept. issues fluoridation warning," Reformer, December 19, 2006
http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_4865372

(7) “Board of Health hopes to halt fluoridation,”
Standard-Times December 12, 2006
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-06/12-12-06/07local.htm

(8) “Communities which have Rejected Fluoridation Since 1990,” compiled by Maureen Jones and the Fluoride Action Network
http://www.fluoridealert.org/communities.htm


SOURCE: NYS Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc
PO Box 263
Old Bethpage, NY 11803
http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof

Fluoridation News Releases
http://tinyurl.com/6kqtu

Tooth Decay Crises in Fluoridated Areas
http://www.fluoridenews.blogspot.com/


Fluoride Action Network
http://www.FluorideAction.Net

 
At 12:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fred, this is a public health issue. Do you understand? Youre a little melodramatic with the 'shoving down our throats' crap. Get real.

 
At 12:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fred, this is a public health issue. Do you understand? Youre a little melodramatic with the 'shoving down our throats' crap. Get real.

 
At 12:11 PM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

Those opposed to fluoridation feel it's a public health issue. They feel fluoride can adversely affect their health.

I don't think I'm being melodramatic at all.

 
At 12:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well then Fred, go buy some distilled water. Did you know that distilled water is the only pure water? Yes, thats right. Bottled water you buy has all kinds of pesticides, minerals, and chemicals in it. So does our tap water. The only pure water is distilled water. They drink it on Nuclear submarines, so lets go and build a nuclear desalination plant here, so we can drink distilled water all the time. (Oh yeah, its been known to increase the liklihood of cavities.)

Look Fred, This is a public health issue. Why do you think they would put flouride in the water in the first place. If you dont like it, then go buy DISTILLED WATER (Because every other water has chemicals in it). USe it to drink, and brush your teeth. Youre freedoms arnt being robbed from you Fred! Thats just you talking with a 3-4 Mickey's in you.

 
At 12:30 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's long overdue.

 
At 12:31 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fred youre just wrong on this issue. You raise more of a fuss about water Flouridation than you do about the Iraq war. Tell me Fred, which one is more dangerous, more costly, and actually threatens our real freedoms? Youre chasing rabbits all day Fred, why dont you focus on what actually matters. And why dont you put the damn bottle down, Its half past noon for the love of God!

 
At 2:09 PM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

12:21 asks, "If you dont like it, then go buy DISTILLED WATER (Because every other water has chemicals in it).".

First of all, I already said I'm personally not worried all that much about the health effects of fluoride. I simply don't like the idea of people forcing things on other people. That's the issue I see here, although admittedly most people aren't concerned with that.

Second of all, I more than happy with the water we drink that gets run through our Multi- Pure water filter. It takes nearly everything out of it except for minerals (so I don't believe it removes fluoride).

Even if it did remove fluoride, I don't think people should have to buy a $300+ water filter to feel comfortable drinking water.

12:31 wrote, "You raise more of a fuss about water Flouridation than you do about the Iraq war."

Yep. That's because I try to focus on local and state issues for the most part and avoid things that most every one else is already discussing, like Iraq, although I believe I made at least one post on the Iraq issue long ago.

If you want to go back and forth on Iraq, don't expect to do it here.

 
At 6:13 PM, Blogger Pogo said...

Fred,
Thank you for keeping 12:02's stuttering up. Some people homeschool or send the young'uns to private school and the state still forces them to pay for the public indoctrination centers that have produced such as 12:02. Simply put, fluoridation is another "grigri". For another major "grigri" see: http://geeksaresexy.blogspot.com/2006/11/recycling-is-grigri-just-plain.html
The presentation is almost 30 min. but a real gut splitter.

 
At 6:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"They feel fluoride can adversely affect their health."

I feel that Republicans can adversely affect my health. Can we ban them too? Or maybe we should have some actual facts, rather than just basing public policy on what a few people "feel."

 
At 11:16 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Homeschooling is not always successful. Many homeschooled children grow up no better educated than the parents who taught them. Some end up socially-stunted, lacking basic skills for getting along with people even slightly different from themselves.

 
At 6:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

11:16 PM This was taken from the NEA/CTA talking points bulletins. How about some stats?

 
At 7:14 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

6:59 wrote, "Can we ban them too?".

Who said anything about banning fluoride? Be tough to do that, or so I've been told, as we ingest more fluoride in the food we eat than we get from drinking water.

Besides, it seems like you can't even get toothpaste without fluoride nowadays. Even the yuppie natural toothpaste the wife bought for me a couple weeks ago says it has fluoride in it.

All I'm saying is that people shouldn't have to go to extra lengths to drink water without fluoride.

 
At 10:51 AM, Blogger Jack Durham said...

You can't even avoid fluoride in McKinleyville's water. It's a naturally occuring substance and there are trace amounts in the water.

I found it interesting that people got up in arms over fluoride, but no one mentioned the existing chlorine additive.

 
At 12:19 PM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

Seems to me that years ago I heard some grumbling about chlorine and some supposed bad health effects of it.

One difference I see is chlorine simply assures, at least as best we can, that our water is potable and doesn't harbor diseases.

Fluoride is more along the lines of mass medication and some people would rather not be mass medicated, feeling the medication might involve more risk than the disease it's supposed to prevent.

 
At 6:18 PM, Blogger Jack Durham said...

I'm not concerned about chlorine, although I do take the cap off my water container so it can vent.

Still, I would guess that if one wants to compare "toxity" the chlorine is far more dangerous than fluoride. I've never heard of fluoride being used in trench warfare.

If people are concerned about ingesting fluoride, why aren't they concerned about ingesting chlorine?

 
At 8:05 PM, Blogger Anon.R.mous said...

Tim Hooven said...

Any of you actually live/work in McKinleyville and use the water?


I used to Tim, and I think it's about time. McKinleyville's kids have been getting the short end of the stick long enough, and they need something to help their teeth. It's not as bad as it was in the very early 80's, but there are still some people up there that can use our help.

 

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