Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Scotland rejects Fluoridation
The Scottish Executive (i.e., Scottish Parliament) has just rejected Water Fluoridation
‘The Scottish Executive (i.e., Scottish Parliament) has just rejected Water Fluoridation
on Health, Safety, Medical Ethics and Human Rights grounds. They are going back to sorting the problem of kids' bad teeth at source - bad diet and totally inadequate dental services. Scottish Health Minister Andy Kerr is expected to unveil new measures to lift Scotland’s poor dental health record which are likely to include "more proactive dentistry for young children, more targeted in deprived communities where tooth decay was worse". (The Scotsman) This is exactly what we have been telling all Councillors, the Health Department and residents. Said Therese Mackay President of the Hastings Safe Water Association
Controversial plans to introduce fluoride into the public water supply in Scotland are set to be abandoned, it emerged today according to the Scotsman (13/11/04). The Scottish Executive is understood to have axed the proposal in favour of better-targeted dental services. It is believed the Executive was also concerned about the implications of allowing individual local authorities to introduce the chemical into water supplies. Critics argued the fluoride plans were an infringement of freedom and were also unsafe. A source within the Executive reportedly confirmed today that fluoride measures had been shelved "for the foreseeable future".
‘Now that the Scots have rejected fluoridation, and the Welsh Assembly is likely to announce a similar decision shortly are the Hastings, Kempsey, Bellingen and Coffs Harbour Councillors really so certain that fluoridation is the right approach to curing bad teeth, if it's not considered appropriate in Scotland? Plenty of food for thought for our Councillors. Food we have already given them but which the majority have ignored. They know exactly what they are doing and will be held accountable individually. Said Therese Mackay
Brian Donohoe, Labour MP for Cunningham South, who spearheaded a rebellion on fluoridation at Westminster, said: "There has been a lot of controversy around the issue of water fluoridation that has never been explained as it should be. The major argument I have is that nothing should be added to our public water supply for medical reasons without the public having the chance to decide if it is right for them." Many Lib Dems viewed it as "mass medication" and an infringement of civil liberties. And official party policy is against adding fluoride to the water supply. Scottish Nationalists, Conservatives, Greens and Scottish Socialists have all spoken out against putting fluoride in the water. Lothians Green MSP Robin Harper has said there were sufficient grounds for concern about the effects of fluoride on health that people should have a choice whether to consume fluoride. (The Scotsman).
Individual Councillors, who mulishly hand over their responsibility to the Health Department, when they are directly responsible to residents, can no longer say that they do not know. Fluoridation is now considered by the Scottish Parliament to be an abuse of human rights. At our recent Rally (6/10/04) we handed Council a comprehensive document outlining the issues of Human Rights Abuse, Litigation possibilities, health concerns amongst others. Councillors can no longer hide behind the flimsy skirts of the Health Department Bureaucrats who will simply move on to other Public Service positions leaving individual Councillors to bear the blame and to wear the costs of litigation. We are appalled by the Hastings’s Council’s written response to our document. We will release their response on Wednesday and residents will then realise the calibre of those we have elected. Their letter is a disgrace. Said Therese Mackay
‘Australia is the most heavily fluoridated country in the world. Few countries still fluoridate. Most have woken up to reality of the toxic nature of Water Fluoridation. We are the only country which is still attempting to have 100% Fluoridation and the push Australia wide is notably authoritarian. We have to wonder why this is, in a worldwide climate where country after country, city after city are giving Water Fluoridation the flick. Keep up the pressure - we're winning. ” President of the Hastings Safe Water Association Therese Mackay said.
Further Information – Therese Mackay Hastings Safe Water Association
0265839622
# posted by Middle Child @ Tuesday, February 28, 2006 
