November 7, 2012

It is with great excitement and satisfaction that FAN can report that the people of Wichita, Kansas--the second largest non-fluoridated city in the U.S.--resoundingly rejected water fluoridation last night, just like they did in 1968 and 1978. The vote wasn’t even close, with a margin of 60% opposed to fluoridation to 40% in favor. The decision will save taxpayers over $2.3 million dollars this year, and ensure that more than 600,000 residents continue to receive fluoride-free drinking water.

The ground game in Wichita was an inspiring sight to behold, with a dedicated and well-organized group of citizen campaigners who took on the behemoth dental-lobby and defeated them with the truth. The groups leading the charge included Fluoride Free Kansas, Wichitans Opposed to Fluoridation, Pure Water for Wichita, and the Kansas Republican Assembly. Today, local campaigners issued this inspirational response to the election results.

This amazing outcome in Wichita is a major blow to the pro-fluoride lobby, and is a prime example of why proponents of forced fluoridation prefer to lobby city councilors and legislators behind closed doors--as they did in Portland, Oregon and tried to do initially in Wichita--rather than face the public with a fluoridation vote. It demonstrates that even when the pro-fluoridation national machine (e.g., Pew, Delta Dental, ADA, CDC, etc) descends upon a city with their bottomless pit of money and media endorsements, truth and common sense can still prevail if the people rise up and refuse to let their public water supply be polluted with the phosphate industry's fluoride waste.

While fluoride-free campaigners focused on public education and generating a city-wide debate prior to the vote, proponents took their campaign strategy to new lows by ignoring a science-based discussion and instead attacked and ridiculed the credibility of the fluoride-free movement and Dr. Paul Connett. (Read Connett’s response) Anyone who heard Dr. Connett speak at any of his 6 presentations in Wichita, or heard or saw him on radio and TV programs, or has read his book, The Case Against Fluoride, knows that the claims made by fluoridationists were over the top and very misleading. Clearly their attacks failed. And it revealed how little of real substance proponents had to add to the fluoridation debate.

Congratulations Wichita -- you have remained in good company (e.g., London, Paris, Stockholm, Berlin, Copenhagen, Oslo, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Tokyo) in keeping fluoride out of your water. This victory truly is “Something to Smile About”.

Crescent City, California

Wichita wasn’t the only American city that voted to end fluoridation on Election Day. The California community of Crescent City voted 524-402 to remove fluoride from the drinking water until any chemical supplier on earth can vouch for the additive’s safety “for all customers.” Local proponents argued effectively that “since the manufacturers of hydrofluosilicic acid will not submit the toxicological data or the list of contaminants in their product, it is technically illegal to put this substance in the water.”

The decision will impact an estimated 14,000 area residents, and will save taxpayers more than $20,000 each year. Congratulation Crescent City!

Sincerely,

Stuart Cooper

Campaign Manager

Fluoride Action Network