Back in 2002, Watsonville’s city council voted against the fluoridation of its local tap water. It was—and still is—the subject of a heated debate, but that debate may soon be resolved as the council edges closer to voting for fluoridation. The decision comes after the city decided it is time to deal with an epidemic of tooth decay that is plaguing the city. Not everyone is happy about it though, and some of the rhetoric could put the most virulent Tea Partiers to shame. Back in 2002, Watsonville’s city council voted against the fluoridation of its local tap water. It was—and still is—the subject of a heated debate, but that debate may soon be resolved as the council edges closer to voting for fluoridation. The decision comes after the city decided it is time to deal with an epidemic of tooth decay that is plaguing the city. Not everyone is happy about it though, and some of the rhetoric could put the most virulent Tea Partiers to shame.
There is still one hurdle to overcome: opposition by the Martinelli beverage company, which produces sparkling apple cider. “We believe fluoride is bad for your body so, morally and ethically, we simply cannot put that water in our products,” says John Martinelli, the company’s CEO. His family has owned the local company for the past 142 years, but now he’s planning on moving its planned expansion elsewhere to avoid fluoridation.
While mainstream medicine supports fluoridation, even calling it one of the “10 greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century,” opponents link it to bone cancer, kidney malfunction, and various other medical issues. Read more at the Los Angeles Times.
