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The city of Winter Haven has been adding fluoride to its water since 1986, but citing a recent court case and data suggesting the chemical may also do harm, city leaders have narrowly voted to remove it.
Winter Haven Commissioner Brad Dantzler was the first to make a motion to remove fluoride from the city's drinking water.
Dantzler cited, in part, the anti-fluoride stance taken by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., likely to influence health policy in the Trump administration.
“And Mr. Kennedy has made it well known and has publicly said he wants fluoride out of the water of the entire country,” Dantzler said. “So, this issue, we might be a little in front of it, but this issue is coming.”
Debate over the idea centered on a September court ruling calling upon the EPA to strengthen its regulation of fluoride.
Some also spoke about a recent study suggesting fluoride could negatively impact children's brain development.
MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/polkcounty/winter-haven-remove-fluoride-city-water-supply/67-01c88b12-1071-41b5-9ece-c91552e4cbf3