Report Title:

Fluoride legislation; moratorium

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

130

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

urging congress to expedite its investigation of water fluoridation and agreeing to exercise restraint in introducing any fluoridation legislation until the u.s. congress concludes its investigation and publishes its report on fluoridation or the u.S. supreme court rules on its safety and effectiveness, or until water fluoridation is approved by the u.s. food and drug administration.

 

 

WHEREAS, approximately 30 bills regarding water fluoridation have been introduced in the past 45 years, none of which have passed the Legislature; and

WHEREAS, the frequent introduction of bills has consumed large amounts of precious legislative time, taxpayers' dollars, government workers' time, lobbying money of the Department of Health, and financial resources of many senior citizens and other individual citizens who are strongly opposed to such legislation; and

WHEREAS, the County of Hawaii (Big Island) passed a referendum in 1974 to stop fluoridation by a ratio of about 10 to 1; and

WHEREAS, the introduction of industrial grade fluoridation chemicals with heavy metal impurities such as arsenic and lead raises serious questions on long term health concerns since arsenic alone is acknowledged to cause six types of cancer (prostate, skin, bladder, kidney liver and lung), hormonal changes (e.g. diabetes), and numerous other health problems; and

WHEREAS, no chemical should be added to the drinking water for the purpose of medical or dental treatment without thorough assessment and clinical study of potential adverse effects on all susceptible individuals; and

WHEREAS, no chemical should be added to the drinking water without a full environmental impact study to determine the effect on our flora, fauna, marine industries, and the numerous endangered species unique to Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, many of the studies available on the issue have not been properly reviewed and considered; and

WHEREAS, the issue of fluoridation, which is currently under investigation by Congress, should be debated by the Congress of the United States and/or litigated in the United States Supreme Court, who would have access to expert witnesses, technical resources, and various sources of data and government agencies far beyond the reach of state and county-elected officials, and can better research and determine the advisability of fluoridating public water system; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, that Congress is urged to do everything possible to expedite the completion of its investigation into water fluoridation and the publication of its results; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature agrees to exercise restraint on the introduction of any water fluoridation legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this exercise of restraint should remain in effect until such time that the following two conditions are met:

(1) The Congress of the United States concludes its investigation of fluoridation and publishes its report thereon or the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the safety and effectiveness of fluoridation; and

(2) The fluoridation chemicals proposed for use have been tested and approved as safe and effective for the purpose for which it is to be added, by the United States Food and Drug Administration;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health and the U.S. Congress attached with a letter commending the Science Committee for undertaking an investigation of fluoridation, emphasizing the importance of this study to the people of Hawaii and to all Americans, and urging Congress to expedite its investigation.