Skagit County Washington Residents opposing Fluoride (Mount Vernon Fluoride)

	In August 2005, 11 unions representing 7,000 EPA employees called for a national moratorium on water fluoridation due to public health concerns. Dr William Hirzy, EPA Union Scientist Vice-President, stated that: "We hold that fluoride is an unreasonable risk. The toxicity of fluoride is so great and the purported benefits associated with it are so small – if there are any at all – that requiring every man, woman and child in America to ingest it borders on criminal behavior on the part of local governments."
	Fluoride is regulated as a drug by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and as a contaminant by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Neither drugs nor contaminants belong in our drinking water! Our bodies do not need fluoride – it is not a nutrient, it is a toxin!
	Fluoridation has been linked to a long list of health issues. Fluoride accumulates in the body and does not impact just the teeth. Some of its greatest negative impacts are to the thyroid gland, bones (it has been linked to increased fractures and bone cancers) and enzyme systems within our bodies. The addition of fluoride to public water supplies has been banned in many countries including: Japan, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland due to health concerns.

	Children are particularly at risk of excessive fluoride exposure. The EPA has stated that children under 6 months of age should not ingest fluoridated water, even in formula. Too much fluoride causes fluorosis, which permanently damages and discolors the teeth and is a sign of fluoride overdose.
	Skagit County residents should have a choice about whether or not they are forced to ingest fluoride, a drug and contaminant. No one should be medicated without their consent. Forcing fluoride on an entire population makes no sense medically or ethically – the dosage can not be controlled. Some people drink more water than others, and everyone is exposed to fluoride from hidden, unexpected sources including: many foods, beverages (e.g. pop, and bottled water) and medications.
	Water fluoridation has not been shown to substantially decrease tooth decay in a number of research studies. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) show the same declines in tooth decay in countries with and without fluoridated water since the 1960s. The health risks of adding fluoride to public water supplies outweighs any minimal (possibly nonexistent) benefits in reducing dental decay.
	Fluoridation of our water supply will result in increased water costs to PUD customers in Skagit County. Read the Skagit PUD Fluoridation Report (website below). Estimate = $2.8 million for facilities.
	Fluoride won't fix the underlying cause of tooth decay. Cavities are primarily caused by a poor diet (a diet high in sugar and processed foods and low in fruits and vegetables) and poor dental hygiene (not brushing and/or flossing). If the concern is for the rate of tooth decay in children, why not spend the money on an education and treatment program targeting parents with infants and young children -- instead of medicating the entire community?
	The fluoride added to water is not pharmaceutical grade fluoride.Fluoride compounds are found in industrial waste generated by the fertilizer, aluminum, glass, steel and nuclear weapon industries – and are expensive to dispose of -- thus industry is motivated to find “good” uses for it. The fluoride compounds that are commonly used to fluoridate water often contain lead, arsenic and other heavy metals and toxins. These fluoride compounds have never been studied for potential risks to human health.