Sunday, June 19, 2011

Franklin should have a choice on fluoride

In case you missed Rich Aucoin's Letter to the Editor, it is reprinted in full here. Thanks for sharing Rich!

To the Editor: 
The US Dept of Health & Human Services warned in January that American children are overdosing on fluoride, causing an increase in dental fluorosis. A group of Franklin residents investigated Franklin's water supply and learned that in 1970 the Board of Health ordered fluoridation, making Franklin families take fluoride every day whether they want to or not. 
Most MA towns remain Pro-choice on Fluoride. Nearby towns like Milford, Bellingham, Hopedale, Blackstone, Mendon and Plainville, for example, all remain Pro-choice. Just as with all other common household medications, if people want fluoride they can easily get it. There's no reason to force it on everyone. 
Even licensed physicians cannot force their patients to take a medication, nor would any responsible doctor recommend ingesting a drug in uncontrolled dosages. So it stands to reason that unlicensed practitioners such as the Board of Health members should not be doing these things either. 
Even though the Board members don't dispute that individuals have a basic human right to choose their own meds, they nonetheless refused a request last month by concerned Franklin residents to restore Fluoride Choice to Franklin. The Board said it lacks the authority to end its own policy and referred the residents to the Attorney General. 
However, Chief AG Attorney Margaret Hurley disagreed with the Board on May 6th, saying that Mass Gen Law Chapter 111 makes local health officials responsible for enforcing medical freedom. Still the Board said no to Choice. 
By blindly continuing an unfair and outdated fluoridation policy even as fluorosis rates are on the rise, the Board members are exposing the town to unnecessary health and legal risks. 
It is time to bring Fluoride Choice back to Franklin, which will also save taxpayers $35,880 every year in fluoridation-related costs.

Rich Aucoin,
Franklin resident


Helpful links:
Kidney Foundation Drops Fluoridation Support
http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/06/09/idUS123736+09-Jun-2008+PRN20080609

Civil Rights Leaders Oppose Fluoridation on the Grounds that it Harms the Poor
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/14/idUS192420+14-Apr-2011+PRN20110414

Franklin Board of Health: 508-520-4905


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