Plans to add fluoride to tap water in Southampton were endorsed by a judge yesterday
Judge watch Fluoride Poisoning
By
Jenny Hope
Last updated at 1:49 PM on 12th February 2011
Plans to add fluoride to tap water in Southampton were endorsed by a judge yesterday
Plans to add fluoride to tap water in a major city were endorsed by a judge
yesterday despite overwhelming public opposition.
Mr Justice Holman rejected claims that the decision-making process was
defective and dismissed a legal challenge to the scheme in Southampton.
Hampshire council and three quarters of residents oppose the plans drawn up
by the strategic health authority. But dentists say the scheme will cut tooth
decay in children.
Just 10 per cent of England’s water is fluoridated, covering 5.5million
people, mainly in the North East and West Midlands. The last fluoridation scheme
was introduced in 1985.
Refusing a claim for judicial review by Southampton mother-of-three Geraldine
Milner, the judge said there had been no illegality.
‘It is important to stress that our democratic Parliament decided long ago
that water can, in certain circumstances, be fluoridated,’ he added.
‘It is not the law that fluoridation can occur only when a majority of the
local population agree. Parliament has firmly entrusted area-specific decision
making to the relevant strategic health authority.’
Hampshire council and three quarters of residents oppose the plans drawn up by the strategic health authority. But dentists say the scheme will cut tooth decay in children
Miss Milner’s counsel, David Wolfe, said the health authority’s decision
meant that approximately 195,000 people in Southampton and parts of south-west
Hampshire ‘would have fluoride added to their water whether they liked it or
not’.
Opponents believe fluoride could be a risk to general health with potential
side effects including bone cancer. But the British Dental Association said
fluoridation was a safe and effective way of reducing fillings and extractions.
A spokesman said: ‘This is likely to encourage consultation on similar schemes in other parts of the country where fluoride could help address the poor dental health of the population.’