BY Katherine Kelly

Two years ago I put an initiative on the ballot to stop fluoridation in Crescent City. It was called Measure A. This time around, the name is the same, but the initiative is different. It is asking for a moratorium on fluoridation until the manufacturer, Basic Chemical Solutions,  supply critical safety data and an assurance of safety for all water consumers. They have been asked for this information and have refused. In fact, every manufacturer of the fluoridation chemical hydrofluosilicic acid in the US, Canada and Mexico has been asked for this information and they have all refused. Why?

The information requested is simple and straightforward:

• Provide a list of contaminants.
• Provide toxicological studies on this chemical.
• Provide an assurance of safety for all segments of the population.

Any time you buy a product to consume you should want to know what’s in it. “Trust me, it’s safe” is not reassuring, nor is it scientific, nor is it a list. We want a list. I have a list, I know what’s in it, so I also know why they do not make public the list of contaminants in their product. It contains goodies like arsenic and lead, barium, cadmium and chromium.

The toxicological studies I also have. There are two. They both say that this product doubles the amount of lead in children’s blood. So now you know why they refuse to provide the studies. They not only refuse to provide them, they refuse to even acknowledge them. Ignore it if it doesn’t fit your agenda and maybe the people are too stupid to figure it out. Well, we’re not that stupid.

The assurance of safety for every segment of the population that consumes the product is critical. It has been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association that babies should not consume any fluoride. Diabetics should not consume fluoride. People with kidney disease should not drink fluoridated water, nor should people with thyroid disease. Children are overdosing on fluoride to the point where dental fluorosis is rampant and the government has warned about too much fluoride consumption. There are segments of the population who are allergic to fluoride.

So there you have it. The corporations using our bodies to filter their toxic waste will not provide any safety data or assurance of safety. They simply say, trust us. Meanwhile we are paying for a product to our City Water Department (supposedly fresh, clean, safe water) and they (Basic Chemical Solutions)  are taking our money for a “product” that would be considered highly toxic hazardous waste in any other setting, and saving huge dollars that it would cost them to dispose of it otherwise because of its toxicity. You can continue to play the game and be a victim of this scam, or you can say, “NO” by voting YES on Measure A. Make them prove it is safe to consume or we stop consuming it if they don’t.

So simple!