Earlier this year, Michael Connett, an environmental attorney and public health advocate who led FAN’s historic legal battleand victory against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the neurotoxicity of fluoridation chemicals, was asked to go on a speaking tour of New Zealand. Our friends at Fluoride Free NZ organized the events and FAN assisted with the travel costs, and he successfully filled halls to capacity, including in Whangarei and Rotorua. He also used the opportunity to meet and talk with members of local and national government bodies.
Like the U.S., New Zealand is one of the few nations in the world practicing water fluoridation, and since 2021, they are one of only two nations (Ireland being the other) with a fluoridation mandate. The mandate, which was passed in the midst of the pandemic, was the public health bureaucracy and national government’s response to fluoride free activists making extensive progress ending the practice town-by-town for many years. Despite the mandate, towns are still putting up a strong fight, hence why it was important they heard directly from Connett.
Connett’s presentations were made free to the public and open to all, including the media and policymakers. Fluoride Free NZ made a high quality film from what they called “his best talk,” which took place in Wellington. Connett takes us through the ups and downs of the eight year long court case and focuses on the science on fluoridations potential harm, insights from the legal battle, and why communities across the globe are banning the practice.
As said on the night the presentation was given, “if this was broadcast on TV, fluoridation would be over by the morning.”