Fluoride Action Network
Encyclopedia
Fluoride
Fluoride is the anion F−, the reduced form of fluorine when as an ion and when bonded to another element. Both organofluorine compounds and inorganic fluorine containing compounds are called fluorides. Fluoride, like other halides, is a monovalent ion . Its compounds often have properties that are...
ingestion (due to water fluoridation
Water fluoridation
Water fluoridation is the controlled addition of fluoride to a public water supply to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water has fluoride at a level that is effective for preventing cavities; this can occur naturally or by adding fluoride...
as well as other sources), which it believes are problematic due to fluoride's alleged toxicity. It was founded in May 2000 and is based in Canton
Canton (village), New York
Canton is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The village is centrally located in both the town of Canton and the county of St. Lawrence. The population was 5,882 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of St. Lawrence County...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. St. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence University is a four-year liberal arts college located in the village of Canton in Saint Lawrence County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2300 undergraduate and 100 graduate students, about equally split between male and female....
retired professor Dr. Paul Connett and his son Michael provided the impetus, and individuals from twelve nations including scientists and concerned citizens joined in its founding.
The organization has distributed petitions requesting the abolition of water fluoridation. FAN disseminates materials supporting their cause via its website. FAN represents the anti-fluoridation point of view in the U.S. media.
In 2004 FAN reorganized and became a project of the American Environmental Health Studies Project (AEHSP) and now is a registered tax-deductible non-profit organization.
In 2010 the Fluoride Action Network hired Stuart Cooper to be its campaign director with the first campaign to get water utilities to add warnings to water bills not to use fluoridated water for infants.