ANDREW YOUNG SENDS LETTER TO GA GOVERNOR AND AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION CALLING FOR FLUORIDEGATE SCANDAL HEARINGS from FAN

October 14, 2016  

Andrew Young, former Atlanta Mayor and U.N. Ambassador has written a letter to the Georgia Governor Nathan Deal calling for hearings to investigate the safety of fluoridation and the disproportionate harm caused to various sub-populations.  Ambassador Young wrote a similar letter in 2011, and joined many other civil rights leaders in condemning fluoridation.

You can learn more about the current data showing disproportionate harm from fluoridation on low-income and minority communities by visiting FAN’s environmental justice page.  You can also learn more about the federal government’s efforts to control the news of this disproportionate harm by clicking here.

Dan Stockin of The Lillie Center for Energy and Health Studies released the following press release on October 13th, which describes the new letter from Andrew Young: 

ANDREW YOUNG SENDS LETTER TO GA GOVERNOR AND AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION CALLING FOR FLUORIDEGATE SCANDAL HEARINGS

Says Story Offered by Fluoridation Promoters

“Keeps Changing…and Changing…and Changing”

Ellijay, Georgia — Civil rights pioneer and former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young sent a letter to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston calling for hearings to investigate why water fluoridation is continuing despite numerous reasons for ending the practice.

“This is a civil rights issue,” he says, “and the people have a right to have the full story given to them, rather than highly edited, misleading talking points.”

Ambassador Young is asking for a written response to his letter, which was also sent to American Water Works Association CEO David LaFrance.

For decades, most messaging about fluoridation has focused on the goal of cavity prevention, with little discussion about fluoride risks to tissues outside the mouth.

“The story offered by water fluoridation promoters keeps changing…and changing…and changing,” Young writes, pointedly also saying, “When someone’s story keeps changing, there are quite often motivations behind their changed stance that may not be aligned with the best interests of the public.”

“Are we sacrificing the health and safety of our communities simply because dentists don’t want to be embarrassed, or sued?” he asks.

Dental industry influence and control over the messaging points about fluoridation received by the public and officials is one of a number of issues surfacing in Fluoridegate. 

Another issue is that adding fluoride chemicals to drinking water is a practice fraught with uncertainty, as there is no way to monitor or control the dose of fluorides individuals will receive, including kidney patients, diabetics, thyroid patients, persons in low income and minority communities, and workers in certain professions.

“Ambassador Young mentioned workers who drink a lot of water as part of their occupation. There are a lot of outdoor, trades, construction, utility and water agency workers who are provided fluoridated water by their employees due to work in hot environments, water that may add to their risk for hip fractures later, or aggravate a number of pre-existing conditions. The National Research Council called outdoor workers a ‘susceptible subpopulation,’” says Daniel Stockin, a career public health professional working to end fluoridation. 

The uncontrolled dosing and selective messaging of points about fluoridation are not lost on attorneys arming themselves for a number of types of fluoride harm litigation.

“Fluoridated water presents a very wide array of legal problems on the personal injury side, and of course there are civil rights, consumer protection, employee injury and right-to-know aspects also,” says attorney Chris Nidel.

“Fluoridegate hearings and upcoming legal cases will put people under oath about all this.”

Influential public figures such as Erin Brockovich, Dr. Mark Hyman, Alveda King and other leaders are also calling for Fluoridegate hearings. Dr. Hyman is a nine-time New York Times bestselling author.

“There are numerous mechanisms by which uncontrolled dosing of fluorides through water fluoridation can potentially harm thyroid function, the body and the brain,” Dr. Hyman says.

Reference Links / Sources:

* Letter from Andrew Young to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston. October 6, 2016.

* ADA proposal to U.S. Health and Human Services Agency, calling for research on fluoridation impact on kidney patients, diabetics, minority populations etc – see the second page here

* National Research Council report on fluorides, saying outdoor workers are a susceptible subpopulation

Stuart Cooper
Campaign Director
Fluoride Action Network

See all FAN bulletins online