The law, which was signed by Gov. Spencer Cox on March 27 and will go into effect on May 7, comes amid renewed scrutiny of fluoride, a mineral that has been widely added to U.S. drinking water since 1945 to prevent cavities. Although controversy over the safety of water fluoridation first arose in the 1940s, concerns have intensified in recent years, driven in part by new research on fluoridation and by growing resistance to public health interventions since the pandemic. In November, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the federal health secretary, said that the Trump administration would “advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water” because of potential health risks. Anti-fluoridation bills have also been introduced in North Dakota, Tennessee and Montana.

Utah GOP Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill that bans fluoride from public water in the state. Cox signed the bill Thursday, making Utah the first state to remove fluoride from public water. The legislation was introduced in January and it passed the state Senate in February. It won't take effect until May 7. Just 44 percent of people in Utah are now getting water with fluoride in it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, despite widespread opposition from dentists and national health organizations. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation late Thursday that bars cities and communities from deciding whether to add the mineral to their water systems. Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Utah lawmakers who pushed for a ban said putting fluoride in water was too expensive. Cox, who grew up and raised his own children in a community without fluoridated water, compared it recently to being “medicated” by the government.

Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, despite widespread opposition from dentists and national health organizations. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation late Thursday

Utah’s Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law Friday to prohibit fluoride in public drinking water. The move comes amid a recent surge of concern over the mineral additive. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space. Please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service.