Miami-Dade County commissioners voted Tuesday to override Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s veto, officially ending the county’s long-standing fluoridation program—just weeks before a new state law renders local control over the issue irrelevant.
In an 8-4 vote, commissioners reversed the mayor’s objections and upheld their April 1 decision to stop adding fluoride to the public water supply. The override comes as Florida moves to become the second U.S. state to ban fluoride in drinking water, following Utah.
“We made a decision for the people. And the people are sick and tired,” said Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez, the legislation’s sponsor. “They’re sick because their government has been poisoning them.”
Mayor Levine Cava vetoed the commission’s original vote on April 11, citing input from medical professionals and public health experts who warned against eliminating fluoride, which has been added to Miami-Dade’s water since 1958 to help prevent tooth decay.
Her veto, however, appears to have had limited practical effect. Earlier Tuesday, the Florida House gave final approval to a bill that would block municipalities from adding fluoride to local water systems. And during a press conference in Miami later that day, Gov. Ron DeSantis confirmed he would sign the bill—known as the “Florida Farm Bill” (SB 700)—into law.
Though the bill does not mention fluoride by name, it bans certain additives in public water systems. DeSantis, flanked by Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, made clear the intent during remarks beneath a banner reading “Free State of Florida.”
“It’s forced medication when they’re jamming fluoride into your water supply,” DeSantis said. “Studies that have raised concerns about physical and mental health risks that have been associated with overexposure to fluoride… I think they [the commissioners] voted the right way, so thank you. For the counties that voted the other way, the legislation that we’ll sign is going to answer that question.”
The new law takes effect July 1.
Public health agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, call fluoridation one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century. Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and reduces cavities, especially in populations with limited access to dental care. Dentists and healthcare groups have pushed back against the recent wave of anti-fluoride sentiment.
The Florida Dental Association criticized Ladapo’s November recommendation urging communities to halt fluoridation, saying it was “based on flawed and unscientific reports” and reaffirming its support for fluoride as “an effective tool in reducing dental decay.”
Nonetheless, state leaders like Ladapo have cited concerns about developmental risks for children and unborn babies. In previous statements, Ladapo pointed to studies linking fluoride exposure to lower IQ, ADHD, and other cognitive issues in children.
Levine Cava said she weighed expert guidance before issuing her veto. “We have spoken with doctors, dentists, public health experts, community leaders, and residents,” her office said in a statement.
But come July, it will be illegal anywhere in Florida to fluoridate public water.
