Utah has passed a landmark law that prohibits the addition of fluoride to any public drinking water system in the state. Gov. Spencer Cox signed the bill into law last week, making Utah the first state to implement such a ban. The new law takes effect May 7.
The measure removes authority from local governments to fluoridate their water supplies. Cox, who grew up in a non-fluoridated area, said Utah has not seen major health differences between communities that use fluoride and those that don’t. He added that any practice requiring chemical treatment of drinking water should meet a very high threshold.
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 ban comes amid growing concern about the impact of fluoride on brain development. A comprehensive government review found that fluoride levels above 1.5 milligrams per liter could affect a child’s intelligence. The National Toxicology Program documented that higher fluoride exposure during pregnancy was linked to lower IQ scores in children, especially boys.
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
One of the most significant studies tracked fluoride levels in pregnant women and later measured their children’s cognitive performance. For every 1 part per million increase in fluoride, boys scored 5 points lower on IQ tests, while girls showed no similar pattern. Researchers said the difference was large enough to affect educational and behavioral outcomes.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appointed by President Donald Trump, has voiced support for removing fluoride from public systems. He has referred to fluoride as a risk to early brain development and supports guidance urging utilities to stop using it.
In 2024, just 66 of Utah’s 484 public water systems included fluoride. Salt Lake City was the largest among them. CDC data showed that 44 percent of Utahns were receiving fluoridated water before the law was signed.
Similar bills have been introduced in states like Florida, South Carolina and Ohio. A federal judge recently ordered the EPA to reevaluate fluoride’s safety due to concerns about its effect on children’s neurological development.
