GOP-Led State Legislature Approves Bill Banning Fluoride From Public Water Systems, Heads To Governor’s Desk

The Utah Legislature has approved a bill that would ban adding fluoride to public drinking water systems.

“The Utah Senate on Friday voted 18-8 to give final legislative approval to HB81, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain. It now goes to Gov. Spencer Cox for his consideration,” Utah News Dispatch reports.

“HB81 by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, would zap the injection of fluoride, derived from hydrofluorosilicic acid, into drinking water. As a concentrate in its undiluted form, hydrofluorosilicic acid is classified as a hazardous, poisonous material,” Fluoride Action Network wrote.

“While it contains fluoride, it also contains arsenic, lead, copper, manganese, iron and aluminum. It is a byproduct from phosphate mining operations. The bill allows people to go to a pharmacist to get fluoride supplements for dental care,” it added.

“This bill does not prohibit anybody from taking fluoride in whatever fashion they want,” Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore said, according to Utah News Dispatch.

“It just disallows people who do not want fluoride from having to consume fluoride in their water,” Cullimore added.

FLUORIDATION BANNED IN UTAH – “A controversial bill to prohibit the introduction of fluoride into public drinking water systems in Utah passed the Senate Friday and is destined to become a new law if Gov. Spencer Cox signs it.

HB81 by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain,… pic.twitter.com/3ffiOA8XK2

— Fluoride Action Network (@FluorideAction) February 22, 2025

Per Utah News Dispatch:

Overall, the bill is “about protecting our water, reducing unnecessary costs, and ensuring people have the right to decide what they consume,” the bill’s Senate sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, said during an earlier presentation on the Senate floor.

He agreed to run the bill in response to water conservancy districts’ requests, he said, since they were concerned about toxic exposure to the mineral when mishandled.

The bill was controversial among dental health communities but was supported by Utahns worried about personal freedoms.

Ultimately, the final vote split mostly along party lines in the Senate.

While most Senate Democrats voted against the bill, Sen. Stephanie Pitcher, D-Salt Lake City, argued in favor of it, describing the practice of adding fluoride to water “incredibly invasive for those individuals who don’t want fluoride in their water.”

She also mentioned that Salt Lake County hasn’t voted on the issue since the year 2000, which concerned her. Other Republican senators joined Pitcher in her support, saying that it’s impossible to control the intake of the mineral, since people drink different amounts of water, and much of it goes down shower drains or gets lost in lawns.

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, criticized the proposal, arguing that the bill would ban two counties — Salt Lake and Davis — from adding fluoride to their water at a 0.7 mg/L level, while fluoridation naturally occurs in higher concentrations in other areas of the state.

“I don’t really have a dog in the fight whether we fluoridate our water or not,” Weiler said. “But I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the legislature telling Salt Lake City, Brigham City, Helper and Davis County that their local authorities can’t do what their residents have voted to do.”

Cullimore reiterated that the bill wouldn’t ban anyone from taking fluoride. The proposal also allows pharmacists to prescribe fluoride to expand the options for those concerned about the decrease of fluoride in their water.

WATCH:

UTAH – “Water managers share safety concerns legislature mulls removing fluoride from drinking water.

“It’s a very, very strong chemical,” Paxman said. “Our operators are in and out of those buildings every single day, just just checking on things. And so it’s it’s has become… pic.twitter.com/tsY4sg53aZ

— Fluoride Action Network (@FluorideAction) February 19, 2025

Deseret News noted:

The sponsor said the bill stems from a federal district court ruling in September which said that .7 milligrams of fluoride introduced into drinking water systems causes unreasonable risk. The ruling directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue guidance.

The judge said, “The ‘optimal’ water fluoridation level in the United States of 0.7 milligrams per liter is nearly double that safe level of 0.4 milligram per liter for pregnant women and their offspring. In all, there is substantial and scientifically credible evidence establishing that fluoride poses a risk to human health.”

Both Davis and Salt Lake County passed voter initiatives to introduce fluoride to drinking water, but it did not mean all residents wanted it.

A South Weber resident in Davis County said no one in her community wanted it, but they were outnumbered.

Ronald Mortensen, who holds a doctorate degree and is chair of the South Davis Water District Board, had this to say: “As an elected board member, it’s my duty to provide safe, clean drinking water to my fellow citizens and to ensure a safe workplace for our workers. Mandatory water fluoridation doesn’t allow me to do that now. HB81 is especially needed because the current statute says that once a citizens initiative mandating water fluoride passes, it can only be changed by vote of the people. The elected officials have no control over this,” he said.

“As a district, we have no control, and that takes all the decision making about fluoride out of our hands, even though we’re elected water board members, and it leaves our districts liable for any harm done by adding fluoride to the water,” he continued. “In addition, the current statute empowers a minority of eligible or registered voters to mandate the addition of prescription medication to our water because it doesn’t have a minimum voter turnout, so if only 10% turnout, they can pass fluoride.”

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This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

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