Florida has enacted a ban on fluoride in public drinking water, making it the second state in the U.S. to do so after Utah. The restriction is part of Senate Bill 700, signed into law Thursday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. While the legislation, known as the "Florida Farm Bill," does not explicitly mention fluoride, it effectively prohibits its use by removing it from the legal category of acceptable water additives. The law takes effect July 1.
"You've had this debate, and really Florida's led on this, too, partially because our Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo, has really led the charge by going to counties and saying forcing fluoride into your water is actually not good," DeSantis said at a Thursday press conference. "Yes, use fluoride for your teeth, that's fine. But forcing it in the water supply is basically forced medication on people. They don't have a choice."
The Florida bill follows Utah's fluoride ban, signed by Gov. Spencer Cox in March and implemented on May 6. Utah's law prohibits individuals or government entities from adding fluoride to water systems.
At the Miami bill signing, DeSantis emphasized that residents who want fluoride still have options. "There's nothing preventing you in your house from adding fluoride to your water," he said. He also argued that mandatory fluoridation violates the principle of informed consent and cited potential risks to pregnant women and children.
Florida's move has drawn criticism from health professionals and local leaders. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat, vetoed a local fluoride ban passed by the county commission last month. However, the commission overrode her veto with an 8-4 vote. Cava said, "I am deeply disappointed by the Florida Legislature's decision to pursue a statewide ban on water fluoridation, a decision that disregards the overwhelming consensus of dentists, doctors, and medical experts and will end a practice that has been in place for decades to protect our health."
Major health organizations-including the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-support community water fluoridation. These groups maintain that fluoridated water helps prevent cavities and strengthens tooth enamel, particularly in populations with limited access to dental care.
A 2015 report by Hawaii's state health department found that the state, which has never mandated water fluoridation, had the nation's highest rate of tooth decay among children, with only 11% of residents having access to fluoridated water.
Opposition to fluoride has gained traction in recent years, fueled in part by figures like Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has stated that fluoridated water provides no "systemic advantage."
