Bulletin #737

January 7, 2006

Dear All,

Before we get to the responses in the Sunday Age (Melbourne) to the Australian Prime Minister’s ill-informed comments on water fluoridation, a couple of updates and a quick comment about the purpose of these FAN bulletins and the availability of LIST B.

As I see it there are really two main audiences for these bulletins. The first audience only wants to hear about the very important developments (e.g the publication of the NRC review; the ADA’s warning to parents not to use fluoridated water to make up baby formula etc) and they are either not interested or do not have the time for the “fluff” as one reader put it. The second audience is more than just interested in the big moments. These readers want to help in any way they can to stop fluoridation locally, nationally and internationally. They want all the details of local campaigns (both our victories and our defeats and the heroes and heroines who fight these battles) and they enjoy following the growing momentum which we are achieving in various ways whether its getting signatures online, raising funds, getting more subscribers to these FAN bulletins or helping to increase the size and effectiveness of the FAN Mobilization Team. To avoid irritating or exhausting the first group we have developed a group B listing. They only receive the most important bulletins (maybe 1 in 20). If you want to be on this list please let me know. Simply send me an email and put “put me on the B list please” in the subject line.

Updates:

1. THE FAN MOBILIZATION TEAM.
   

Charles and Marilyn Carpenter have agreed to represent FAN in Nebraska. Dennis Massingill has joined the Arkansas team. Danny Newman, who hails from New Mexico, but is currently a student in Portland, would like to help the Oregon team. Thanks Danny. And I received this lovely note from Paulette Liles, who wrote:

“I am from Georgia, and I have been fighting fluoride for 4 years. I don’t have a lot of time lately, I take care of my 82 year old mother, but I tell everyone about fluoride every chance I get, I have informed a lot of people just what fluoride is and what it does to us. The past 9 months I haven’t had the time I need to work like I did, but I will be glad to do all I can in the time I have. I have written Gov. Purdue of Ga, informing him about fluoride, I don’t know if he took it to heart or not, but he is a good Gov, and he is for the people and our needs, I hope he does the research like I asked him to and look at the NRC report. If I can help at all, I will.”

Paulette, that is where most of folks are at. None of us have enough time to do everything there is to do, but we do what we can, and when we can’t we don’t feel guilty about it! So we are putting Paulette’s name down for Georgia but it would be really nice if we could get one or more people to help her turn things around in this state.

Meanwhile things are positively bubbling with enthusiastic support from Australia. Bill Kilvert and Diana Buckland want to join the Queensland team. Sylvia Cole is recruiting others to form a team from NSW and Ailsa Boyden (bless her) is reaching out across the whole of Australia. If anyone has contacts (or likely candidates) in Western Australia, Tasmania or South Australia please contact Ailsa at .

2. The Online petition to Wal-Mart

The Online petition to Wal-Mart has now topped 1400, and the current total stands at 1422. This is something that our new Mobilization Team could get into right away. They can see if they can produce a spike in the number of people signing in their state by contacting everyone they know. Signing up is very simple, quick and crucially important, because this could deliver our first victory in 2007. Please go to
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/walmart/ I will be reporting a breakdown in the state and country totals when we reach 1500.

Fluff section: Can little Minnesota retake the lead from mighty California? Can Oregon maintain the momentum which shot it into sixth place at the last count? Can new West Virginia MT rep. Greg Mouser lift this state from last place? Can any other country catch up to Australia’s total? How about Great Britain? You made a complete mess of defending the “ashes” how about teaching the Ozies a lesson via this crucial count in the petitions to Wal-Mart? Right now it is Australia at 68, Canada at 64 and GB at 56.

3. Subscription to the FAN bulletins

These are now FREE. To subscribe ask your friends to send an email to me with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Our current total stands at 1496, towards our mini goal of 2000 by the end of January. Yesterday we only added 3! And now to down under.

A few bulletins ago we reported the words of Australian Prime Minister who urged Australian youngsters to drink fluoridated tap water perpetuating the myth that the reason that tooth decay is on the rise in Australia is because more kids are drinking bottled water. People in the Melbourne area were swift to get letters into the local paper and today’s Sunday Age has three letters printed chastising Howard for his ill-informed promotion of this practice in the light of the new evidence that has come to light, especially in 2006. The letters are reprinted below.

Meanwhile, Ailsa Boyden has requested that, if you have a moment to spare, please post a letter online to Howard at http://www.pm.gov.au/email.cfm and to the Shadow Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon at mailto:Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au> urging her to take a second look at fluoridation in light of new evidence of harm.

Paul Connett

1) The facts on fluoride

Once again, John Howard is at his narrow-minded best.  As many have said:  ”My mind is made up, so don’t confuse me with facts.” This accurately sums up John Howard. Facts are only facts if he can see a political advantage in taking them on board.

There is a lot of scientific evidence available now that shows the shortcomings and danger of fluoride in the water supply. One wonders how many scientists with a pro-fluoride view are paid by companies that
benefit from it.

It is fair to say that the increase in tooth decay has probably  more to do with today’s diets (too much junk food and soft drinks) than not drinking tap water. No matter who is right or wrong, we should have the choice when it comes to the intake of fluoride. There is enough information available these days to make informed decisions about most things.

Politicians (especially if their name is John Howard) can’t be trusted. The only thing they’re interested in is clinging to power for as long as possible and they lie and cheat to achieve it. Admittedly, John Howard is very good at it.

- Ignaz Amrein, Healesville
——————————————–

2) Once bitten …

When did our Prime Minister become such a chemicals expert?  He urges greater consumption of chemical fluoride by all Australians, regardless of age and medical status (31/12). That is what it means when he announces support of water fluoridation and a desire for us all to swallow more of it.

He may mean well,  but he is badly misled by his advisers. Only a handful of countries still practise water fluoridation and recent scientific studies have confirmed some serious health hazards that were suspected for decades.

The moderate levels of fluoride previously thought to be safe are now known to be harmful for children and adults.

The recent discovery of the bone cancer, osteosarcoma, in males was related to fluoridated water. This alone should be enough to ensure that the practice be seriously reconsidered.

How about the American Dental Association’s recent announcement that it is dangerous for young children to use fluoridated water in their formula drinks? How will that message get across to everyone? It cannot.

Finally, the role of fluoride water in the global reduction in tooth decay referred to by Howard has been greatly exaggerated.

- David McRae, Water Quality Australia Inc
———————————————

3) Europe knows the danger

John Howard’s praise of the fluoridation of drinking water deserves a rebuttal. The kind of fluoride added to the public water supply is toxic and most of Europe will have no part of it. If fluoride were as great as Howard claims, the Europeans would surely be using it. Sweden, for example, offers free fluoride mouthwash for those who want it, but it is not swallowed.

It is absurd to state that children are not getting enough fluoride because of bottled water. They consume more than they should just eating food and drinks cooked and prepared with tap water.

- Steven Acuff, Chelsea