ISHPEMING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The question of whether or not fluoride should remain in Ishpeming’s water supply was discussed tonight during a special meeting of the Ishpeming City Council.
During this information-gathering session, the council allowed representatives from both sides of the fluoride debate to make their case.
The Marquette County Health Department stated its official position on fluoride in the water, claiming the benefits far outweigh any possible side effects.
“The Marquette County Health Department continues to endorse and encourage drinking water fluoridation at the recommended level of 0.7 milligrams per liter. There’s no evidence in current peer-reviewed literature that that level of fluoridation has any negative health effects whatsoever,” said Marquette County Health Department Director of Environmental Health, Patrick Jacuzzo.
Opponents of fluoridated municipal water were also represented at the meeting, claiming fluoride poses a hazard to the unborn, babies, and children. Jeff Plummer, an advocate for the discontinuation of fluoridated water, also says it’s a matter of personal liberty.
“But, ultimately, it’s a philosophical issue does the government have the right to put a medical intervention in all citizen’s, water, and this is where I see the upside down thinking about choice, the choice should always be to not be medicated, not the choice for everyone to be medicated,” said concerned citizen and advocate for removing fluoride from the water supply, Jeff Plummer.
The Ishpeming City Council took no action and made no comments during the meeting, as the forum was simply to gather information from both sides.
