| The UK government is talking again about compulsory | | | | Currently in Britain 6 million people, mainly in the West |
| fluoridation of our water supplies. City councils across | | | | Midlands and North East, drink fluoridated water. |
| Britain are lining up in opposition to the governments | | | | Fluoride is a by-product of the aluminium and fertiliser |
| proposal to make fluoridation of our water supplies | | | | industries and fluoridation is a cheap way for these |
| compulsory. | | | | industries to get rid of a substance which, among |
| Liverpool, Bradford, Brighton & Hove, Lancaster and | | | | other things, contains arsenic, lead and mercury. |
| Calderdale councils have all officially stated their | | | | Fluoride does inhibit the enzymes that cause tooth |
| opposition to the moves, which could become law by | | | | decay, but leading scientists claim it has harmful |
| the end of the year. In Manchester, said to be first | | | | effects which outweigh the benefits. Dental fluorosis, |
| on the governments fluoridation hit list, Green | | | | characterised by discoloured, blackened, mottled, or |
| councillor Vanessa Hall said Manchester Greens will | | | | chalky white teeth is a result of overexposure to |
| lead a major campaign against fluoridation. | | | | fluoride in childhood, while a chronic intake of |
| The bill, which comes up for second reading on 8 | | | | excessive fluoride can lead to severe and permanent |
| September, is already causing major distress among | | | | bone and joint deformations. |
| individuals. Jane Jones of the National Pure Water | | | | In the US, where 165 million people drink fluoridated |
| Association (NPWA) said: There has been a huge | | | | water, the National Cancer Institute and National |
| response to this issue. People from all over the | | | | Health Federation have attributed 35,000 cancer |
| country are ringing us up and saying theyre not going | | | | deaths a year to water fluoridation. Even the UK |
| to pay their water bills. | | | | governments own review in 1999 found that 48 per |
| Around 160 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion | | | | cent of people living in fluoridated areas suffer from |
| opposing the plans. They are mostly contesting the | | | | dental fluorosis. |
| amendment which allows unelected health authorities | | | | Concerned UK water companies have sought |
| to compel water companies to add fluoride to water | | | | indemnities from the government against civil and |
| supplies where there is strong local support?. | | | | criminal litigation if fluoridation gets on the statue |
| According to the government fluoridated water is the | | | | book. Forensic ecologist Doug Cross said: The current |
| best way to reduce tooth decay among children | | | | offer of indemnity to water suppliers in the new |
| from deprived areas. But the Green Party remains | | | | water bill is illegal and unenforceable since fluoridation |
| critical; the party has just come up with a report | | | | is illegal. |
| entitled Truth Decay, which shows that levels of | | | | Under the International Convention on Human Rights |
| tooth decay are the same in fluoridated Gateshead | | | | and Biomedicine everyone has the right to choose or |
| and unfluoridated Liverpool. A party spokesperson | | | | refuse any medical or preventive treatment. The use |
| said: We want a complete ban on the fluoridation of | | | | of fluoride to indiscriminately medicate populations |
| water supplies. We should educate children and adults | | | | could therefore be viewed as illegal a fact likely to |
| about the need for a healthy diet, dental hygiene and | | | | loom large in the subsequent anti-fluoridation |
| cutting down on excessive sugar intake. | | | | campaigns. |