From “thepeoplesvoice.tv”
Utah is on the brink of making history as the first state in the United States to enact a total ban on fluoride in public water systems.
On March 4, 2025, the Utah Senate voted 18-8 to grant final approval to House Bill 81 (HB81), a measure sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, which prohibits cities and counties from adding fluoride to their water supplies.
The bill now awaits the signature of Governor Spencer Cox, who has indicated he will sign it into law, according to a report from Fortune published today. If signed, the ban will take effect on May 7, 2025, marking a significant shift in public health policy.
The legislation, which passed both chambers of the Utah Legislature largely along party lines, not only bans fluoridation but also strips municipalities of the ability to decide for themselves whether to add the mineral, which has long been hailed for its cavity-preventing benefits.
As reported by CNN, out of Utah’s 484 public water systems that reported data to the CDC in 2024, only 66 currently fluoridate their water, serving approximately 1.6 million residents, including those in Salt Lake City, the state’s largest city. This move reverses decades of local control, where communities like Salt Lake and Davis counties had previously voted to implement fluoridation.
The push to eliminate fluoride has gained momentum amid growing skepticism about its safety, fueled in part by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has called fluoride an “industrial waste” and questioned its use in water supplies.
Rep. Gricius celebrated the bill’s passage on social media, declaring, “Utah is leading the way in health freedom!” The legislation also allows pharmacists to prescribe fluoride supplements, positioning the ban as a matter of “informed consent and individual choice,” as noted by Natural News.
However, the decision has sparked fierce opposition from dental and public health experts. The American Dental Association (ADA), in a Yahoo News report dated February 28, 2025, urged Governor Cox to veto HB81, arguing that ending fluoridation would undo “one of the great public health achievements of the 20th century.”
The ADA and the Utah Dental Association rallied at the state Capitol, emphasizing that fluoride in water reduces dental costs by an estimated $32 per person annually, according to the CDC—a savings that could cost Utahns $48 million yearly if lost, as reported by KSL.com on February 27, 2025.
Public Health vs. Personal Choice
Proponents of the ban argue that fluoride’s risks outweigh its benefits, pointing to incidents like the 2019 Sandy City overfeed, where a malfunction released over 40 times the recommended fluoride level into the water, causing public alarm, as detailed by The New American on February 27. Critics of fluoridation also cite a federal judge’s ruling last year ordering the EPA to regulate fluoride due to potential risks to children’s intellectual development, a point highlighted by Daily Mail Online on February 26.
On the other hand, opponents, including the Utah Oral Health Coalition, argue that fluoridation remains the most cost-effective way to prevent tooth decay on a large scale. “This is devastating news for us,” said a representative from a community clinic in Salt Lake City to KSL.com, noting that the ban could exacerbate already long waitlists for low-income dental care. The CBS News report from February 28, 2025, underscored that Utah ranks 44th in the nation for the percentage of residents receiving fluoridated water, with only about two in five currently benefiting from it.
What’s Next for Utah—and Beyond?
If Governor Cox signs HB81, as he has signaled he will per Fortune, Utah will set a precedent that could inspire similar efforts elsewhere. Lawmakers in states like North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Tennessee have already introduced bills to ban or limit fluoridation, according to Children’s Health Defense on February 24, 2025. Meanwhile, the debate rages on, with health professionals warning of increased dental health disparities, particularly in underserved communities, and ban supporters hailing it as a victory for personal freedom.
As Utah stands at this crossroads, the decision rests with Governor Cox, whose office told KTVX on February 26 that he is still reviewing the bill. The outcome will not only shape Utah’s water policy but could signal a broader reevaluation of a practice long considered a cornerstone of American public health.