(The Lion) — Another state has banned fluoride from public water.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation on Thursday, making Florida the second state after Utah to ban the chemical compound. The Florida law takes effect on July 1.

“There’s risks associated for pregnant women, for young people, for kids,” DeSantis said at the bill signing ceremony “Yes, use fluoride for your teeth, that’s fine, but forcing it into the water supply is basically forced medication on people. They don’t have a choice; you’re taking that away from them.”

DeSantis criticized intrusive attempts by the government to control people’s health-related decisions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of the things they were advocating not only didn’t work; they caused a lot of harm,” he said.  “…When we made sure that the schools were open, I got sued by the teachers’ union, saying ‘close the schools.’ … Fauci was saying, ‘This is irresponsible.’ … They had these kids locked out for a year to a year-and-a-half … so we fought back against it.”

DeSantis cited a 2019 study suggesting that kids whose mothers consumed high levels of fluoride during pregnancy had IQ levels two to five points lower than average.

“We certainly now in our society in 2025 have the ability to deliver fluoride through toothpaste and all these other things,” the governor said. “You don’t get to force it and take away people’s choices. The whole crux of the issue is you should be able to make decisions on the basis of informed consent.”

Last fall, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo said health concerns about fluoride are legitimate, despite its known ability to prevent tooth decay.

“It is clear more research is necessary to address safety and efficacy concerns regarding community water fluoridation,” Ladapo said in a statement. “The previously considered benefit of community water fluoridation does not outweigh the current known risks, especially for special populations like pregnant women and children.”