Action Alert: Stop Water Fluoridation in Sacramento

Help Stop Water Fluoridation in Sacramento!

Water fluoridation has been one of the most controversial issues in America in the last century. While purported advantages to dental health are questionable, there is overwhelming evidence of overall health risks. The harmful effects of water fluoridation have been linked to cancer, kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis.

With Sacramento’s current fiscal challenges, along with other cost-cutting recommendations, the City is considering the elimination of its water fluoridation program. Not only does Sacramento spend nearly $1,000,000 a year to fluoridate the water, but, as less than 1% of the fluoridated water reaches the target population, this expenditure is not environmentally sustainable nor cost effective. 99% of the fluoridated water is used for washing clothes and cars, watering landscapes, showers, toilets and drains into local rivers, streams and sewers.

Attend the Sacramento City Council meeting on June 22nd, 5:45 p.m. to support Recommendation #45 to stop water fluoridation in Sacramento.

Now is the time to eliminate fluoride from Sacramento’s drinking water once and for all !!

To Help:
Contact (call, write, fax, e-mail, visit) your City Councilmember and/or speak out at the City Council Meeting on June 22nd, 5:45 PM in support of the Citywide Financial and Operational Review Recommendation #45 to eliminate Sacramento’s water fluoridation program. To make your written comment part of the City Council record, go to “eComment” option next to the June 22 agenda (have to wait until after June 15 for June 22 agenda to be listed) at http://sacramento.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=21. Questions? Contact Brian at BrianL [at] Lambertwebworks.com or 916-475-7685.

New City Hall, 915 I Street, 5th Floor, 95814, front desk: 808-5407, fax: 264-7680 (good to do).
Mayor Kevin Johnson, 808-5300, Mayor [at] cityofsacramento.org
Councilmembers:
Ray Tretheway, Dist. 1, 808-5848, rtretheway [at] cityofsacramento.org
Sandy Sheedy, Dist. 2, 808-7002, ssheedy [at] cityofsacramento.org
Steve Cohn, Dist. 3, 808-7003, scohn [at] cityofsacramento.org
Robert Fong, Dist. 4, 808-704, rkfong [at] cityofsacramento.org
Lauren Hammond, Dist. 5, 808-7005, lhammond [at] cityofsacramento.org
Kevin McCarty, Dist. 6, 808-7006, kmccarty [at] cityofsacramento.org
Robbie Waters, Dist. 7, 808-7007, rwaters [at] cityofsacramento.org
Bonnie Pannell, Dist. 8, 808-7008, bpannell [at] cityofsacramento.org

FLUORIDATION FACT SHEET
• Fluoride, a known toxin, is considered more toxic than lead and slightly less toxic than arsenic.
• The main product being used to fluoridate Sacramento’s water (fluorosilicic acid) is a toxic waste
byproduct from the phosphate fertilizer industry, and often contains varying levels of lead, mercury, arsenic, uranium, and other heavy metals.
• Disposing properly of fluorosilicic acid as a toxic waste costs chemical companies at least $10,000 per truckload and requires dumping at the highest rated toxic waste dumpsites. The tanks that store the fluoride chemical compounds must be changed every 7-10 years due to corrosion, which may further contaminate public drinking water.
• Fluoride is a medication not usually prescribed or recommended for adults. It is predominantly intended for children.
• The labels on fluoridated toothpaste warn consumers to keep the toothpaste out of reach of children and to contact a poison control center if more than a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste is swallowed.
• The widespread and uncontrolled use of fluoride in water, food, juices, soft drinks, other beverages, and dental products is causing pervasive over-exposure to fluoride in the U.S. population, resulting in an increasing number of children with dental fluorosis and other health issues.
• No scientific double blind studies proving any benefits of water fluoridation have ever been done. The FDA has never tested the fluoride that is being added to our water to ensure its safety or effectiveness.
• Less than one percent (1%) of Sacramento’s fluoridated water is used for drinking. The remainder goes for lawns, car washing, showers, washing machines, dishwashers, and toilets, etc., draining into our sewers and/or rivers and streams, making it an environmental hazard. As the annual cost of water fluoridation for the City of Sacramento is slightly less than $1,000,000, water fluoridation is an inefficient way to fluoridate and not a cost-effective use of taxpayer money.
• The harmful effects of water fluoridation have been linked to cancer, kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis. Therefore, many segments of the population have to find other sources of water in order to avoid fluoride and protect their health.
• Many dentists, doctors, other health professionals, scientists, engineers, and lawyers oppose water fluoridation. Eleven Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unions representing at least 7,000 EPA environmental and public health professionals have spoken out against water fluoridation, calling for a moratorium of fluoridation programs across the country and have asked EPA management to recognize fluoride as posing a serious risk of causing cancer in people.
• It is unethical to mass medicate the public by adding medication, in the form of fluoride, to our drinking water. Mandatory water fluoridation has taken away the personal freedom and right to choose what we ingest.