FLUORIDATION is a question of choice, not enforcement and talking about choice and fluoridated water, it is interesting to note that the Soil Association is this week promoting organic week.

The term of organic produce, however, remains subjective

The reason I say this is because I contacted the Soil Association after reading a study on the effects of watercress which was grown in fluoridated water which showed a substantial amount of stunted growth in comparison to watercress grown in non-fluoridated water.

I asked them, when defining and describing produce as organic, did they consider that the use of fluoridated water may indeed invalidate their claim that organic food truly is organic. The Soil Association spokesman told me the use of portable drinking water systems were accepted as a viable means of irrigating crops.

Indeed, I was astounded to learn that it was quite acceptable that produce irrigated with fluoridated water could indeed be classified as organic. I had always thought organic food to be free of chemicals unnaturally introduced.

As crops and vegetables grow, they absorb the chemicals fed to them in the water and, indeed, no effective studies have been made as to establish just how much fluoride contaminants are contained within organic produce cooked in fluoridated water.

With this in mind, I would urge further study. Being forced to cook our food in fluoridated water is one thing, but to cook food which is purchased as organic, yet contaminated with fluorides from the water it is fed with, is another issue the public need to be aware of.

All the time our free choices towards a healthy lifestyle are being removed and we certainly dont need dentists dictating to us what chemicals we should be mass-medicated with.

Ian Upton

Chairman BAFG

www.bafg.org.uk