USA - Resident appeals for removing fluoride from water
Resident appeals for removing fluoride from water
By George Barnes TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
gbarnes@telegram.com
ATHOL— Citing information she found on the Internet, a local woman is looking to have the town eliminate fluoride from its water system. Vernalee Marie of Cottage Street told selectmen she suffers from chronic fatigue and fybromyalgia and believes her problems stem in part from fluoride in the town water. “Fluoride in the water is unsafe, unnecessary and costly,” she said. Ms. Marie said for two years she has been looking into what may be causing her health problem. Information she found on the Internet led her to believe fluoride is at fault.
She said she found that fluoride causes depletion of magnesium in the body. She said a study of rats has shown that those who were given fluoride in their water had offspring that were hyperactive. She added that it could also cause muscular, skeletal and neurological problems.
Ms. Marie told the board she was at the meeting to see how she could bring a proposal to eliminate fluoride before town voters. She said if fluoride is eliminated from the town water, people who still want it could fluoridate their drinking water.
Selectman Wayne Miller said he disagreed with Ms. Marie’s assessment of fluoride. He said the fluoridation program was established in this country 50 years ago to improve the dental health of children and reduce the amount of dental care needed.
“It has really served that purpose well,” he said. Dr. Miller said he could see no reason to eliminate the program. “I don’t think there has been any solid evidence that fluoride has been detrimental,” he said. Dr. Miller said there has been anecdotal evidence but no conclusive studies to show that fluoride is a problem.
Ms. Marie said she has observed that older residents seem to be in better shape skeletally than people in their 20s and 30s and she believes that is because the fluoride now in use is causing bone depletion.
Selectman Susannah Whipps told Ms. Marie that the selectmen are really not the board to consider such an issue. She said she should go to the Board of Health.
Ms. Marie was also told that if she wishes to bring the issue before voters, she could need to collect signatures on a petition and submit it to the town clerk. Ms. Marie said after the meeting she plans to continue to pursue the issue. “It’s not just my problem,” she said. “It is other people’s problem too.” Selectmen also rejected a proposal by Selectman Jim Meehan that would have required people making requests for documents under the Freedom of Information Act to go through the town manager. Mr. Meehan said he made the proposal to make the process more efficient.
“It was not to put bars in front of anyone getting any document,” he said.
Other board members said with the state public records law and the Freedom of Information Act, there was no reason to add a town policy.
Board members voted 4-1 against the policy.
By George Barnes TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
gbarnes@telegram.com
ATHOL— Citing information she found on the Internet, a local woman is looking to have the town eliminate fluoride from its water system. Vernalee Marie of Cottage Street told selectmen she suffers from chronic fatigue and fybromyalgia and believes her problems stem in part from fluoride in the town water. “Fluoride in the water is unsafe, unnecessary and costly,” she said. Ms. Marie said for two years she has been looking into what may be causing her health problem. Information she found on the Internet led her to believe fluoride is at fault.
She said she found that fluoride causes depletion of magnesium in the body. She said a study of rats has shown that those who were given fluoride in their water had offspring that were hyperactive. She added that it could also cause muscular, skeletal and neurological problems.
Ms. Marie told the board she was at the meeting to see how she could bring a proposal to eliminate fluoride before town voters. She said if fluoride is eliminated from the town water, people who still want it could fluoridate their drinking water.
Selectman Wayne Miller said he disagreed with Ms. Marie’s assessment of fluoride. He said the fluoridation program was established in this country 50 years ago to improve the dental health of children and reduce the amount of dental care needed.
“It has really served that purpose well,” he said. Dr. Miller said he could see no reason to eliminate the program. “I don’t think there has been any solid evidence that fluoride has been detrimental,” he said. Dr. Miller said there has been anecdotal evidence but no conclusive studies to show that fluoride is a problem.
Ms. Marie said she has observed that older residents seem to be in better shape skeletally than people in their 20s and 30s and she believes that is because the fluoride now in use is causing bone depletion.
Selectman Susannah Whipps told Ms. Marie that the selectmen are really not the board to consider such an issue. She said she should go to the Board of Health.
Ms. Marie was also told that if she wishes to bring the issue before voters, she could need to collect signatures on a petition and submit it to the town clerk. Ms. Marie said after the meeting she plans to continue to pursue the issue. “It’s not just my problem,” she said. “It is other people’s problem too.” Selectmen also rejected a proposal by Selectman Jim Meehan that would have required people making requests for documents under the Freedom of Information Act to go through the town manager. Mr. Meehan said he made the proposal to make the process more efficient.
“It was not to put bars in front of anyone getting any document,” he said.
Other board members said with the state public records law and the Freedom of Information Act, there was no reason to add a town policy.
Board members voted 4-1 against the policy.
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