Sumner to Stop Putting Fluoride in Water (Washington State)

[Guest guest]

http://campaignfortruth.com/Eclub/240804/CTM%20-%20fluoridation%20victory.htm

 

The Fluoride Action Network

http://www.fluoridealert.org

 

Dear All,

 

This story gives hope to all those communities who

have recently been fluoridated - it can come out as

quickly as it goes in! The beauty of this issue is

that once the political will is there fluoridation can

be ended as simply as turning off a tap. That is what

has happened in Sumner, Washington State this week. It

was put in because the arms of local officials were

twisted by the Tacoma-Pierce County health board. Now

the State Supreme Court has ruled that the health

board went beyond its authority, the untwisted arms

have reached out and are about to switch off the tap.

 

Note especially this statement: " If there are one or

two people in Sumner who have negative health effects

because of fluoride, that's not fair, " said Councilman

Curt Brown. " They have no choice, and we have seen

that there are other ways to get fluoride. "

 

One or two people. At last, the rights of the

INDIVIDUAL are being recognized.

Paul Connett

 

Sumner to Stop Putting Fluoride

in Water (Washington State)

by Miriam Gottfried

 

 

Sumner's water fluoridation program will soon come to

a halt.

 

The City Council voted 7-1 Monday to stop putting

fluoride in its drinking water, terminating the city's

contract with the Tacoma-Pierce County health board.

 

The decision means the city will lose the $122,000 it

has spent to install the system, including $58,000

that would have been covered by a grant from the

county Health Department. But stopping fluoridation

also will save Sumner about $20,000 per year - the

approximate cost of maintaining the system.

 

The decision also should end, or at least curtail, the

sometimes bitter local debate about fluoride's health

effects.

 

" If there are one or two people in Sumner who have

negative health effects because of fluoride, that's

not fair, " said Councilman Curt Brown. " They have no

choice, and we have seen that there are other ways to

get fluoride. "

 

Mark Evers was the only councilman to vote against the

motion.

 

" I think we have to listen to the experts on this

issue, " he said. " If we're talking about choice, the

5-year-old kids who are coming to the dentist with

cavities don't have a choice, either. "

 

Councilman Mike Connor attempted to amend the motion

to include a provision to bring the issue to a public

vote. His amendment failed, 4-3.

 

About 10 members of the public also spoke before the

council vote.

 

Though fluoridation will end immediately, the

equipment will be left in place, said Bill Shoemaker,

Sumner public works director. He said that about half

of the money was used for design and engineering, so

the city can't recoup its losses by selling the

equipment it purchased.

 

Monday's vote followed an emotionally charged public

hearing July 19 at which about 20 residents expressed

opposition to fluoridation and about 10, including

four dentists and two physicians, spoke in favor of

it.

 

Sumner began fluoridation March 31 under orders from

the health board. There were few public complaints at

that time.

 

But the state Supreme Court overturned the order on

May 13, after which a majority of the City Council

came out in opposition to fluoridation. The council

members said they would wait until after the public

hearing to decide whether to fulfill the contract.

 

In 2002, the county health board ordered fluoridation

for 14 local drinking water suppliers, each serving

more than 5,000 consumers. Sumner and others complied,

but another group of cities, including Bonney Lake and

Lakewood, appealed. When the Supreme Court overruled

the order, health department officials said that

Sumner, Milton and two other water suppliers had

signed contracts to receive grants and thus were

obligated to fluoridate.

 

Health board officials say that fluoride helps promote

oral hygiene. Some city leaders, including Mayor

Barbara Skinner, have come out in favor of

fluoridation, citing national evidence that it fights

cavities, especially among poor children who might not

get regular dental care.

 

Opponents say that fluoride has negative effects as

well. Putting it in the city's water, they say, will

amount to forced medication.

 

About 300,000 people in Pierce County already have

fluoride in their drinking water, including residents

of Tacoma, University Place, Fircrest and military

bases.

The News Tribune, 3rd August 2004

 

http://www.tribnet.com/news/story/5379245p-5317500c.html