Resources: New articles and links published in January are shwn on separate page with index. Click here
INDEX:
Articles follow in the same order
U.K.
Hull Alan Johnson behind threat to fluoridate HULL’S water supply
National A ‘Dental surgeons call for more fluoridation’ Guardian on-line and printed articles.
Ireland
Wexford County Council calling on the government to cease and reverse Ireland’s Health Act 1960 that mandates water fluoridation in Ireland
County Leitrim become the 7th major Council to pass a motion in the past year calling on the Government to immediately cease public water fluoridation in IrelandJan 19
Galway Councillors at meeting on 26th January passed a unanimous motion of opposition to compulsory water fluoridation in Ireland.
U.S.A
Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylovania council rescinds vote on fluoride addition.
Ford City, Pennsylvania All five Council members voted to stop fluoridation of the borough’s water supply when a new water plant starts operations in about a year
Dallas voted to approve a $1 million contract to fluoridate Dallas’ water supply for the next three years
In Connecticut, where, several Senators are co-sponsoring a bill that would eliminate requirement for fluoridation or all communities with 20,000 or more residents
In Minnesota, Representatives have co-sponsored a bill to give municipalities the ability to opt-out of the fluoridation mandate..
Bennington, Vermont. Petitions to make town water fluoridation a ballot measure in the spring, were successfully submitted.
CANADA
Terrace BC: – only one of three remaining municipalities in BC practising fluoridation -. council meeting asked to form a petition to end the fluoridation of Terrace water.
Peel, Brrampton councillor wants water fluoridation debate reopened in Peel Region; regional councillors vote to form another subcommittee
New Zealand
Anti-fluoride campaigners are crying foul over what they claim is a rushed attempt to through controversial legislation over the holiday period.
Serious blunder admitted in official report “Health effects of water fluoridation: a Review of the scientific evidence”.
Contributors to the New Zealand Fluoride Review refuse to debate
Dunedin The fluoride debate is set to resume.
Gorey: tCounty Councillors passed a motion calling for an end to fluoridation of the public water supply, but it doesn’t mean it will happen,
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JANUARY NEWS
Extracts and reports from the U.K. , Ireland, U.S.A, Canada and New Zealand
Full versions of the source articles are available from SWIS, or in most cases , via a link at the end of the item.
Updates will continiue to be published monthly during 2015. This edition covers items dated January 1 to 31.
‘Resources’; – longer articles with a value for reference purposes – or video links, will be published as separate page. Click here for index of January resources
U.K.
Hull
This is the constituency of Alan Johnson, Health Minister ( and some say PM) in-waiting, and former vice – president of the British Fluoridation Society, who has already declared his intention of promoting fluoridation throughout the UK if Labour are elected in May. He has clearly been manipulating the proposal process and the propaganda to force this through and to use Hull as a start of a national effort. My guess is it will be presented as ‘done deals’ with Health and Well Being boards and their PHE advisers. all over the place. Very dangerous!
HULL’S water supply could be fluoridated under ambitious plans to reduce the number of children in the city with tooth decay.
Now, Hull’s Health and Wellbeing Board will consider a plan, which could cost £300,000 to introduce
Jan 31
The British Dental Association (BDA) has thrown its weight behind discussions that could lead to the fluoridation of public water supplies in Hull.
The BDA’s scientific adviser, Professor Damien Walmsley, said: ‘The BDA supports targeted fluoridation in those areas of the country most in need, and this initiative would represent a lasting investment in the future health of Hull.
Former health secretary and local MP, Alan Johnson, and health and wellbeing board chairman, Colin Inglis, are reported as supporting the scheme (www.hulldailymail.co.uk, 2015), which if implemented would cost around 40p per head on an annual basis.
Jan13 
Meanwhile , a Guardian on-line article on ‘Dental surgeons call for more fluoridation’ included the first two paragraphs of the three provided by John Graham of the NPWA and reproduced below..
However, the very shortened version of the printed edition of Jan 13 shown above omitted all the info-graphics and illustration and any anti-fluoridation statements.
A spokesperson for National Pure Water Association said, “the Royal College’s otherwise good report is spoilt by its flawed recommendation to increase the extent of fluoridation in the UK. There is good evidence to support oral health initiatives like Scotland’s Childsmile programme, which costs less than fluoridation in England and covers more people! After nearly 70 years of fluoridation, there is not one high-quality scientific study (an individual, randomised, controlled trial) that shows fluoridation to be effective or safe.
The Royal College report cites a PHE publication that falsly claims fluoridation reduces childhood extractions requiring hospitalisation. The PHE report used Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data which was shown in one region to miss 80% of such hospitalisations! The use of this completely unreliable HES dataset should not be used to inform oral health policy (DOI:10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.603).
UK fluoridation should cease immediately and the enabling legislation be repealed as soon as practicable.”
Ireland
Wexford Jan 14
Major Council in Ireland Calls for End to Fluoridation
On January 12th the Wexford County Council passed a motion by a unanimous vote calling on the government to cease and reverse Ireland’s Health Act 1960 that mandates water fluoridation in Ireland. The motion had the support of every party involved, including Sinn Fein, Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Labor, and People Before Profit.
The Wexford County Council represents approximately 150,000 residents in the South-East region of Ireland, and is now the sixth major Irish council to pass a motion opposing fluoridation. The vote comes only a few months after Cork and Dublin, the two largest cities in the country passed motions along with Cork County Council and Laois County Council doing so earlier in 2014. Together these councils represent approximately 1.6 million residents.
County Leitrim Congratulations to the people of County Leitrim where their elected representatives at last weeks County meeting passed a motion calling on the Government to immediately cease public water fluoridation in Ireland. The joint motion “That Leitrim County Council would be calling on the Government to amend the Health (Fluoridation of… Water) Act 1960 and subsequent Statutory Instrument (42/2007 Fluoridation of Water Supplies Regulations 2007) and to ban the addition of fluoride to water supplies” received unanimous support from their Council colleagues across the chamber floor last Monday 12th January 2015.
County Leitrim become the 7th major Council to pass a motion in the past year, the 2nd in 2015 and was one of two Council’s in Ireland to pass a motion against the outdated and dangerous practice of public water fluoridation on the 12th of January last week. Though the motion makes no difference legally, the Irish Government continue to come under mounting national cross party political pressure to call time on public water fluoridation in the run up to the impending General Election planned for 2016.( from Fluoride Free Towns)alway Jan 19.
Galway Councillors at their 26th January) meeting passed a motion of opposition to compulsory water fluoridation in Ireland. The motion, tabled by Cllr Jim Cuddy (NP) and seconded by Cllr Sean Canney (NP):
“That this Council records its opposition to the current policy of water fluoridation in Ireland, based on documented research that shows a decrease dental caries in all western countries irrespective of whether the water is fluoridated or not, as well as research which shows the effect of fluoride to be topical not systemic (ie works at the location not through the body); calls on the Government to organise a national referendum on water fluoridation in the next 18 months, (possibly in tandem with another referendum), which will educate the public thoroughly on both sides of the debate and allow their voice to be heard on this important public health issue; and that a letter recording this resolution shall be forwarded directly to the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment and CC’d to all cabinet Ministers, requesting the matter to be discussed at cabinet level.” T
The motion received unanimous support amongst Councillors of all political affiliation across the chamber floor including Mr Jim Cullen, The Director of Services for Water and the Environment who was present at the meeting (From FAN)
Some Irish councillors just don’t seem to get the idea of democracy. They think because they represent their region, whose inhabitants have clearly said they do not want fluoride in their water, then the national government will stop putting it. If only…
JUST because County Councillors passed a motion calling for an end to fluoridation of the public water supply, it doesn’t mean it will happen, the January meeting of Gorey Municipal District heard.
Cllr Mary Farrell opened up the discussion asking for details of when fluoride would stop being used in the public supply. Water Services engineer Mark Collins replied that he hasn’t been told to do anything different, as it’s a national scheme, paid for by the HSE.
‘But it was agreed,’ insisted Cllr Farrell.
‘That doesn’t mean it will happen,’ responded Cllr Anthony Donohoe.
‘We should follow it up,’ said Cllr Farrell.
Cllr Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, who originally proposed the motion at the full Council meeting the previous week, said there are powers there for the Council to take the lead. He pointed out that it costs €4 million a year to put fluoride in the water supply.
Cllr Robert Ireton then told the meeting that he got an email totally counter-balancing what was said at the Council meeting.
‘I don’t know what to believe,’ he stated, adding that he would go with whatever the Council engineers recommend.
‘All I want is clarification of the truth,’ he said.
Senior Engineer Neville Shaw said there are pros and cons to putting fluoride in water, explaining that the practice stems back to the days when eating habits were different.
He added that people are well aware of the need to brush teeth, possibly eliminating the need for fluoride in water.
‘The HSE pays for fluoride and we’re waiting for direction,’ he said. ‘Personally, I’d be happy not putting it in. People with their own wells don’t put fluoride in.’
‘Every other country in Europe has stopped it,’ added Cllr Ó Súilleabháin.
‘We’re regulated to do it, and until that changes, we will continue to add it,’ Neville Shaw told him.
(Gorey Guardian)
U.S.A.
Pennsylvania: Schuylkill Haven Jan 9
Schuylkill Haven council rescinds vote on fluoride addition. The council had voted Feb. 5, 2014, to add fluoride to the water but the majority were now voting to rescind the motion to add fluoride The borough had fluoride in the water system until 2011, after a motion to keep fluoride failed on Feb. 3, 2010
Ford City ,Pewnnsylvania Jan. 9,
All five Ford City Council members at a recent meeting voted to stop fluoridation of the borough’s water supply when a new water plant starts operations in about a year.
Read more: http://triblive.com/opinion/editorials/7500852-74/fluoridation-decay-fluoride#ixzz3RBnNYWgb Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook
Jan 21 Benningbton, Vermont.
The Bennington Oral Health Coalition publicly announced Tuesday that petitions to make town water fluoridation a ballot measure in the spring, were successfully submitted.
To prepare residents for the ballot measure, the Bennington Oral Health Coalition. is holding a water fluoridation . “educational forum,”
The coalition is recommending that the level of fluoride in the town’s municipal water supply, be controlled between 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter,
Bennington Citizens Against Fluoridated Water will also be holding a public fluoride forum at the Bennington Firehouse, on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m.
Dallas Jan 28
The bad news
Dallas City Council on Wednesday voted to approve a $1 million contract to fluoridate Dallas’ water supply for the next three years.
Only Sheffie Kadane and Adam Medrano voted against the $1,060,800 contract with Mosaic Crop Nutrition to add the cavity-fighting chemical to the city’s drinking water.
The vote follows months of debate on whether the council should flush the compound from Dallas’ water. A small but vocal faction of fluoride foes found a single true ally in Kadane, who said his reasons for opposition were both financial and scientific.
“Dental hygiene is the way to prevent cavities,” he said. “It’s not by using fluoride.”
But Lawrence Wolinsky, the dean of Texas A&M University’s Baylor College of Dentistry, told the council Wednesday that removing fluoride from the water would be a “tremendous disservice to the citizens of Dallas, especially children.”
But elsewhere new initiatives appear
In Connecticut, where fluoridation is mandated for all communities with 20,000 or more residents, several Senators are co-sponsoring a bill that would eliminate this requirement. Local campaign, organizers Connecticut Families Against Chemical Trespass.
In Minnesota, where fluoridation in mandated in all public water systems, Representatives Jeff Howe and Ron Kresha have co-sponsored a bill that would give municipalities the ability to opt-out of the fluoridation mandate by amending their city charters to prohibit the practice.
(from FAN Jan 26)
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CANADA
Terrace, Ontario Jan 26
*With Prince George voting by referendum last year to stop adding fluoride to the municipal drinking supply, local Terrace resident Barry Prince decided to request again at the regular Terrace council meeting last night:that Terrace council join him in forming a petition to end the fluoridation of Terrace water. In 2013 he presented to council and administration said they would need to go to referendum.
Terrace is now only one of three remaining municipalities in BC practising fluoridation including Prince Rupert and Fort St. John.
Council voted to receive the presentation but did not say if they would support Prince’s call.
Peel, Jan 20
With a serious legal challenge pending, Peel is going to ‘educate’ its new councillors.
Brampton councillor John Sprovieri says he wants to see the water fluoridation debate reopened in Peel Region. But some of his colleagues on regional council are not entirely convinced that revisiting the issue is the way to go.
Regional councillors voted last week to form another subcommittee. ‘to help educate newly elected councillors on the ‘pros and cons’ of fluoridation, which many municipalities do to improve oral health and tackle tooth decay.’
In September, a lawsuit was launched against the Region of Peel and the Province of Ontario. A statement of claim filed by Mississauga resident Liesa Cianchino claims risks posed by water fluoridation greatly exceeds its benefits. It challenges the constitutionality of the Region of Peel’s water fluoridation program and the Fluoridation Act, and argues, “that the Region was negligent for failing to ensure the safety of the municipal drinking water supply.
( from Brampton Guardian)
New Zealand
Jan 1
Anti-fluoride campaigners are crying foul over what they claim is a rushed attempt to push through controversial legislation over the holiday period.
Anti-fluoride campaigners have been to court arguing the chemical’s components are subject to the Medicines Act and legally it can’t be added to water supplies. The court ruled fluoridation was legal but now the Health Ministry wants to clarify the current law.
The attempt to re-define fluoride has now closed its brief ‘consultation period’ The SWIS reply will be added to the Resources section shortly.
Jan 17
Great how statistics work. Now, 1 % change – in this case, in recorded IQ levels, does not matter. Sorry, we should have said 7%, and that … er.. doesn’t matter.
A royal blunder: The Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor and the Royal Society of New Zealand admitted yesterday, Thursday 15th January, that a serious blunder had been made in their report “Health effects of water fluoridation: a Review of the scientific evidence”.
A new version[1] is available on the Royal Society’s website where an error message now states that fluoride exposure studies found an IQ reduction of one statistical ‘standard deviation’, not one ‘IQ point’ as previously asserted.
One standard deviation equates to a drop of about seven IQ points but, unbelievably, the conclusion of the first version of the report that “this is likely to be a measurement or statistical artefact of no functional significance” has remained in the revision..
(in full from Fluoride Free New Zealand)
January 2
Contributors to the New Zealand Fluoride Review shown to be toothless. Fluoride Free NZ calls for an open transparent public discussion of fluoridation where both sides of the argument can be heard. To date Sir Peter Gluckman and Sir David Skegg, authors of last year’s NZ Report on Fluoridation, have declined an invitation to debate or discuss the errors found in the Report with international fluoridation experts Professor Paul Connett and Dr William Hirzy when they are in New Zealand next month.
Other contributors have also failed to accept an invitation to front up including Dr Charles Eason, Dr Mark Elwood, Dr Murray Thomson, and Dr Nick Wilson , NZ Reviewer , Dr Wayne Temple, and did Researcher/Writer, Dr Anne Bardsley. ‘t is hoped that Dr David Crum from the NZDA, who calls for increased fluoride exposure of infants, will step into the breach. However, that is not likely.
(from Press Release from Fluoride Free New Zealand)
Dunedin Jan 19
The fluoride debate is set to resume in Dunedin when councillors consider a potential bill of up to $3.2 million to add the chemical to untreated water reservoirs across the city.
At present, 85% of the city’s drinking water was treated with fluoride, but reservoirs supplying properties in Mosgiel, Port Chalmehttp://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/330399/fluoride-maybe-pipeliners, Waikouaiti, Outram and West Taieri were not
Report followed byh extensive comments
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/330399/fluoride-maybe-pipeline
