Louisiana bill would ban fluoride in public drinking water, part of national push led by RFK Jr.

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana lawmakers will consider a bill that would prohibit the addition of fluoride to public drinking water statewide, joining a national debate over the mineral long endorsed by public health agencies to prevent tooth decay.

Senate Bill 2, authored by Republican Sen. Mike Fesi, would repeal the Louisiana Department of Health’s water fluoridation program and explicitly ban the fluoridation of any public water system in the state. If passed, the law would take effect Aug. 1, 2025​.

The proposal comes as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending water fluoridation nationwide. Kennedy, who was appointed by President Trump, has called fluoride a “dangerous neurotoxin.” He announced Monday that he is assembling a task force to study the issue and provide new guidance.

Kennedy praised Utah’s recent decision to enact a statewide fluoride ban, calling the state a leader in his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign. That initiative is backed by a political action committee advocating for restrictions on food additives, water fluoridation, and certain purchases with food assistance benefits.

Public health groups push back

The American Dental Association (ADA) strongly opposes the Louisiana bill and Kennedy’s broader anti-fluoride stance. In an April 7 press release, the ADA said fluoridation is a proven, cost-effective tool that reduces dental decay, especially in children and low-income communities.

“The growing distrust of credible, time-tested, evidence-based science is disheartening,” said ADA President Dr. Brett Kessler. “Blindly calling for a ban on fluoridated water hurts people, costs money, and will ultimately harm our economy.”

The CDC considers fluoridation of drinking water to be one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century, and currently recommends fluoride levels of 0.7 milligrams per liter. Nearly two-thirds of Americans receive fluoridated water, according to the agency.

Still, Kennedy and other critics point to studies—many based outside the U.S., the ADA notes—that link high levels of fluoride to possible health concerns. A report last year from the federal National Toxicology Program noted a potential connection between fluoride and lower IQ scores in children, but emphasized that the findings primarily applied to regions with much higher levels of natural fluoride than found in U.S. water systems.

EPA launches review

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Monday that it will reexamine scientific data on fluoride’s health effects to determine if updates to its maximum allowable limits are needed. Current EPA guidelines cap fluoride in public water systems at 4 milligrams per liter.

Kennedy’s influence is already being felt. In addition to the Utah law and Louisiana’s proposal, the CDC’s 20-person oral health division—which helped administer grants related to fluoridation—was recently cut during a wave of federal staffing reductions.

If passed, Louisiana’s bill would make it the second state in the nation to ban fluoridation at the state level. It remains to be seen how municipalities and water systems would adjust to the change, or whether fluoride supplements would be offered as an alternative, as is the case in Utah.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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