MIAMI, FL, Florida has become the second U.S. state to ban the addition of fluoride and other additives to public drinking water, following a controversial move signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday.
The bill, passed by Florida lawmakers last month, aligns with the anti-fluoride stance of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-time critic of chemical additives in public utilities. The measure is already drawing sharp rebukes from public health experts and medical associations, who warn that the ban could reverse decades of dental health progress, especially among vulnerable children.
“This is a step backwards for public health,” said Dr. Michelle Lane, a pediatric dentist in Orlando. “Fluoridation has been a critical tool in reducing cavities and protecting low-income communities from dental disease.”
Supporters of the bill, including Governor DeSantis, argue the decision is about “medical freedom” and consumer choice. “Floridians have the right to clean water without chemical intervention,” DeSantis said during the signing ceremony. “We’re putting families and transparency first.”
Florida now joins Utah, which enacted a similar ban earlier this year, as the only U.S. states to prohibit fluoride in drinking water a practice endorsed for decades by organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Dental Association (ADA).
Critics say the decision was politically motivated, pointing to the influence of anti-establishment health narratives during the 2024 presidential campaign. Kennedy Jr., who is running as an independent, praised the Florida law as a “victory for health freedom and bodily autonomy.”
However, many local officials worry about the broader implications. Municipal water systems must now adapt to the new regulations, which may increase costs and create disparities in dental health outcomes across communities.
With the ban set to take effect within 90 days, several advocacy groups are already preparing legal challenges, citing public health risks and potential violations of federal safety standards.
