The following press release was issued by the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation.
Voters on November 6, 2001, rejected fluoridation in several U.S. cities despite hundreds of thousands of dollars spent by fluoridation proponents in public relations campaigns. This adds to a growing list of cities that rallied against adding the claimed cavity-fighting fluoride to their water supplies.
According to newspaper accounts:
* On election day, Worcester, Massachusetts, residents renounced fluoridation for the fifth time since the 1950s. Fluoridation proponents refused to debate but spent $400,000 trying to win this referendum. The victorious opposition spent only $5,196.
* Modesto, Calif., citizens rejected fluoridation for the second time, shunning a $1 million grant offered by Fluoridation 2000, a statewide group, to cover the cost of fluoridation equipment. Fluoridation proponents outspent opponents by over 10 to 1.
* Flagstaff's, Az., electorate decisively turned down fluoridation for the third time via mail-in ballots.
* Sixty two percent of Sutherlin, Ore., voted against fluoridation on election day.
* In Gilbert, Az., opponents of fluoridation, inspired by these victories, plan to attack fluoridation again, which is slated to start in Gilbert at the end of the month.
"People who study the issue, themselves, find out fluoridation's health risks far exceed any possible benefits and deprives individuals of their choice to be medicated," says Paul Connett, Ph.D., coordinator of the Fluoride Action Network and professor of Chemistry at St. Lawrence University, N.Y. "If your community fluoridates and you want it stopped, call us. We can help you."
Other places defeating fluoridation this year.
* January 2001--Willamina, Ore., City Council says "no" to fluoride.
* March 2001--Norridgewock, Maine, votes down fluoridation.
* April 2001--City residents of McPherson, Kan., rejected a fluoridation proposal by a nearly 5-to-1 ratio. It was their third vote against fluoridation.
* May 2001--Brewster, Mass., said no thanks to fluoride in the town's water systems.
* May 200l--Harper, Kan., citizens successfully petitioned against fluoridation.
* June 2001--Eureka Springs, Ark., city officials followed water customers' advice and rejected fluoridation.
* August 2001--Woods Cross, Utah, City Council said no thanks to fluoridation after a citizens' group presented them with a petition to opt out of a countywide fluoridation plan.
* September 2001--Goldendale, Wash., council members unanimously rejected any proposal to add fluoride to the city's water supply
* October 2001--Centerville, Utah, City Council decided against fluoridation.
* October 2001--White Salmon, Wash., City Council rejected fluoridation.
In other countries
* March 2001--Japan's Assembly of Kanra-machi, Gunma Prefecture, rejected a fluoridation proposal.
* April 2001, Onehunga, New Zealand, voted two to one against fluoridation
* October 2001--Voters in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, ended 40 years of fluoridation.
On election day, 2000, 14 communities voted down fluoridation.
Source: New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation
