The Non-Fluoridated Consumer
September 2008
Report from FAN Conference
No. 7
Coordinated effort planned to have Senators pressure EPA to release fluoride risk assessment
Attendees of last month’s Fluoride Action Network conference in Toronto have agreed to coordinate their efforts to pressure the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to release its new risk assessment of fluoride in drinking water. Dr. William Hirzy, recently retired from EPA, suggested that the risk assessment has been delayed because bureaucrats are trying to figure out how to neutralize Dr. Elise Baisson’s findings that fluoridated water increase the risks of osteosarcoma in young boys. If the cancer finding stands unchallenged then water fluoridation would have to be stopped, he said. Activists are asked to contact their US senators and have them ask EPA Director of Water Ben Grumbles when the risk assessment on fluoride in drinking water will be released. Dr. Hirzy suggested that people will have to keep bugging the senators’ offices but, that if 10-20 senators contact the EPA Administrator, the risk assessment may be released. Massachusetts senators are: Sen. Edward Kennedy, 317 Russell Senate Building, Washington, DC 20510; phone: 202-224-4543; Fax: 202-224-2417 Sen. John Kerry, 304 Russell Senate Building, Washington, DC 20510; phone: 202224-2742; Fax: 202-224-8525.
Editorial
Neither horned nor horny
FAN conference-goers were treated to a video recording of Canadian Dental officer Dr. Peter Cooney’s speech in Dryden, Ontario prior to that town’s recent referendum on continuing fluoridation. It was a futile attempt on Cooney’s part as his side lost a lopsided vote, 83% to 17%. The vote was due not only to Dr. Paul Connett’s presentation in Dryden, but also to the actions of the Dryden water works engineers, who have joined their co-workers elsewhere in Ontario in refusing to add fluoride to the water supply (see news report elsewhere in this issue). During his presentation Cooney remarked that he had walked down Dryden’s Main Street, and “hadn’t noticed anyone sprouting horns,” due to the fluoride. He went on to list the maladies that he claimed opponents of fluoridation say are caused by fluoride, including nymphomania. While we are used to these smears, this bureaucrat’s mendacity stuck out when contrasted with Dr. A.K. Susheela’s presentation on the physiological effects of chronic fluoride exposure, and Dr. Vwyan Howard’s talk on the effects of fluoride on the brain. At a time when numerous parents have real concerns that their children’s development may be adversely affected by fluoridated water, Dr. Cooney can joke about people sprouting horns. How out of touch. How irresponsible. How negligent. Surely, Dr. Cooney should be fired as Canada’s top dental officer.
Vermont-made Harpoon is non-fluoridated (But you must know the code to find it)
Ales produced by the Harpoon brewery in Windsor, VT are made with non-fluoridated water, while those brewed in Boston use fluoridated water, confirmed Harpoon spokesperson Jaime Schier in an email to The Non-Fluoridated Consumer. Because the two breweries use identical labels, consumers can only identify the Windsor-made non-fluoridated products by looking at the yellow ink-jetted date code on the neck of the bottles. Those that are labeled “Best By” and followed by a date are made in Boston and are fluoridated while those labeled “BEST BY” are non-fluoridated and made in Windsor, VT. The company’s hard apple cider made in both locations is non-fluoridated since no water is added to the product, Schier wrote in an email.
UMASS Amherst Library starts special collection on the history of grassroots’ opposition to water fluoridation
The Special Collections department of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst is starting a new archive on grassroots campaigns against water fluoridation. The project has informal commitments for the papers of Prof. Albert Bergstahler, Dr. John Yiamouyianis’ and for the large grassroots archive compiled by the late Martha Bevis in Texas, the only grassroots resource cited by Christopher Bryson in his book The Fluoride Deception. Special Collections head Dr. Robert Cox said the new collection goes well with the Library’s priorities, which include collecting the archives of protest movements, such as the campaign against the death penalty. People who would like to donate materials to this collection can contact Dr. Michael Dolan, who is organizing the project, at mdolan@geo.umass.edu.
Ontario water engineers lead the way in ending fluoridation
Citing their legal responsibility to protect drinking water supplies, water works engineers in several Ontario towns have stopped adding fluoride to community water systems. After a standoff in the town of Dryden, voters overwhelmingly backed the workers 83% to 17%. Water engineers have unilaterally ended the practice of fluoridation in Thunder Bay, Dryden, the Niagara region and at the Canadian Forces Base in Kingston. In Dryden, which had been fluoridated for many years, the workers ignored a referendum that supported a continuation of fluoride use, citing their legal responsibilities. Opponents then won their overwhelming victory this past April. With these developments and the recent defeat of fluoridation in Quebec City, activists hope the practice of water fluoridation will soon come to an end throughout Canada.
Limited success with resolution to ban fluoridation in Littleton
A few hours outside the main supermarket in Littleton earlier this summer resulted in 30 signatures on the resolution to ban water fluoridation in Massachusetts. The town had recently narrowly rejected an advisory question put forward by the Board of Selectmen asking if Littleton should fluoridate its water supply. Because the referendum had not resulted from a signature collecting drive many people who were asked to sign the resolution were oblivious to the controversy.
A plea to back the resolution to end fluoridation in Massachusetts
A few months ago I wrote a resolution to be presented to State Legislators asking them to ban the practice of water fluoridation in Massachusetts (see below). It is a strategy based on the fact that most State Senators and Representatives are career legislators. They don’t have another job. Their legislator’s salary pays their mortgage, and their children’s tuition. Therefore their number one concern every day of the year is to win re-election. Since we represent the majority of people in Massachusetts, we can, theoretically, put pressure on them to take this action or not be re-elected. Even if an outright ban is not achieved, the campaign would at least neutralize any campaign for a statewide fluoridation mandate, which we know our opponents are planning. The upcoming preliminary and special elections are golden opportunities for collecting signatures. If you would like to participate in this campaign, please contact me at mdolan@ecsnews.com
The Non-Fluoridated Consumer is published monthly in Belchertown, MA by East Coast Science News, and is edited and compiled by Michael F. Dolan. It is delivered free of charge as an email attachment, and may be copied and distributed without permission. If you do not want to receive this newsletter, please send an email indicating so to nfc@ecsnews.com. We welcome news, commentary, opinion, letters, and criticisms. For inclusion in the next edition please submit your material by the 20th of the month.
A Resolution to Prohibit the Addition of Fluoride to Community Water Systems in Massachusetts Preamble. This resolution is written in honor of the scientists at the US Environmental Protection Agency for their role in reporting the adverse effects of fluoridated water. Whereas a liter of fluoridated tap water contains the same dose of fluoride as the prescription medicine, Whereas water fluoridation violates the fundamental medical ethical principle of informed consent, Whereas the American Dental Association and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have conceded that infants should be given no fluoridated water, Whereas a National Research Council investigation concluded that the current regulation of fluoride in drinking water does not protect the population of the United States, Whereas the National Toxicology Program study and a Harvard epidemiological study independently support the conclusion that water fluoridation increases the risk of bone cancer in young boys, Now therefore be it resolved that Chapter 111: Section 8C of the General Laws of Massachusetts, that permits the fluoridation of public water supplies, shall be repealed, and that it shall be replaced by a law prohibiting the addition of fluoride to community water systems in Massachusetts. Signature Name (printed) Address City or town
_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ please return to: Michael F. Dolan, P.O. Box 797, Belchertown, MA 01007