Fluoride conspiracists need to locate reality, go there

I don’t want to freak you out, but there is fluoride in Clark County’s water. It’s in there because it’s a proven measure to reduce tooth decay in children. It’s working, and nothing strange is happening to those of us who ingest the tap water.

But the rest of the state, including the Reno-Sparks area, goes without, largely because of conspiracy theories that fluoride is some sort of government plot to poison people.

Unlike those who believe the military is hiding a crashed UFO at Area 51, or those who believe the government has implanted tiny listening devices under their skin, the fluoride conspiracists are actually harming the public. They testified Monday at the Nevada Legislature against a bill to add fluoride to the water in Washoe County. A doctor, of all people, testified that fluoride is an industrial waste product and causes all kinds of terrible diseases. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say the bill is not likely to pass because of these kooks.

As a result, kids in the Reno-Sparks area will experience higher rates of tooth decay, and thus higher dental bills. Former Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, who got the bill passed in 2001 to add fluoride to Las Vegas water, didn’t mince words in response to the conspiracy theorists speaking out at the Legislature. She told the Las Vegas Sun, “It says we’re very backward.”

Yep.