Florida has enacted a new law restricting the addition of fluoride to public drinking water, becoming the second U.S. state to implement such a measure. Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 700 into law this week, which includes a provision preventing local governments from unilaterally introducing fluoride into municipal water supplies.
“Today I was in Miami to support SB 700, which bans local governments from unilaterally adding fluoride to public drinking water,” said Governor DeSantis.
The legislation follows a November 2024 advisory issued by Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who raised concerns about potential health risks associated with community water fluoridation, particularly for pregnant women and children.
Utah was the first state to enact a similar ban, with Governor Spencer Cox signing the legislation in late March. The law, which takes effect May 7, prohibits municipalities from adding fluoride to their water systems.
Although the Utah legislation does not cite specific public health findings, its sponsor, Republican Representative Stephanie Gricius, referenced studies suggesting a potential link between fluoride exposure and cognitive development in children. Gricius stated that the bill is intended to provide individuals with the choice of whether or not to consume fluoridated water.
Fluoride has been routinely added to public drinking water in the United States since 1945, with the goal of reducing tooth decay. Currently, lawmakers in four additional states are reportedly considering legislation that would restrict or ban the use of fluoride in municipal water systems.
