Utah Blocks Fluoride In Public Water As IQ Risk Gains Attention
Utah has officially barred the use of fluoride in public water systems, following a new law signed by Gov. Spencer Cox. The measure, which goes into effect May 7, makes Utah the first state to end fluoridation across all public drinking water networks.
Gov. Cox questioned the necessity of fluoride treatments, especially given that nearly half of the state never used them. “You would think you would see drastically different outcomes with half the state not getting it and half the state getting it,” he said, noting that such differences haven’t materialized.
BREAKING: Utah has become the first state to completely BAN fluoride in their drinking water.
All 50 states should follow suit! pic.twitter.com/YGogmMvuSG
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) March 30, 2025
The decision also aligns with growing concerns about the potential impact of fluoride on children’s mental development. A government-backed report from the National Toxicology Program found that higher levels of fluoride in water — particularly above 1.5 milligrams per liter — could impair brain development.
Utah banning fluoride and pride flags in the same day…
Check on your liberal friends. They might die. https://t.co/Ws9zf0Shn9— Storm (@stormrobinson) March 28, 2025
That same review cited a consistent link between fluoride exposure and lower IQ scores, especially among children with higher fluoride levels in their bodies. In one set of data, every 1 part per million increase in fluoride in a pregnant woman’s urine was tied to a 5-point drop in IQ in male children.
Supporters of the ban emphasized that citizens should not be subjected to mandatory exposure to a substance linked to cognitive decline. Utah lawmakers noted that the state’s dental outcomes didn’t show major advantages in areas with fluoridated water compared to those without.
Trump administration officials have also supported rolling back fluoridation. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has raised the alarm over its long-term risks and pledged federal guidance advising utilities to stop using it.
According to the CDC, Utah already had one of the lowest fluoridation rates in the country. Only 66 out of 484 public water systems in the state were fluoridating their supply as of last year.