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Editorials
Saturday, February 19, 2000Legislature should OK
fluoridation of waterIT'S dismaying to see Governor Cayetano's proposal to fluoridate Hawaii's water blocked in the state Senate in the face of overwhelming evidence that the procedure is needed to protect the teeth of Hawaii's children.The issue: Senate Health and Human Services Chairwoman Suzanne Chun Oakland announced that she would defer a decision on fluoridation of water indefinitely.
Senate Health and Human Services Chairwoman Suzanne Chun Oakland announced that she will defer a decision on the governor's bill indefinitely. She said she prefers to consider alternatives to fluoridation and would propose that the Legislative Reference Bureau research the issue.
No additional research is needed. The issue has been kicked around for decades and action is overdue.
Hawaii's children aged 5-9 have more than double the national average of tooth decay. This is particularly disturbing in view of Hawaii's high overall comparative ranking in health. And there is a simple and inexpensive remedy -- fluoridation of drinking water.
Fluoridation has been used safely in the United States for more than 55 years. About 145 million Americans -- including the residents of San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago, Detroit and Dallas -- use fluoridated water. Water on Hawaii's military bases -- consumed by 13 percent of Hawaii residents -- is fluoridated.
State Health Director Bruce Anderson says fears that fluoridation amounts to poisoning water are unfounded. He calls fluoridation the most cost-effective way to reduce tooth decay in Hawaii.
Anderson, of course, is by no means alone in advocating fluoridation. It's endorsed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Hawaii Dental Association, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Academy of Pediatrics, HMSA and other professional health organizations.
Just what more information does Senator Chun Oakland need? When Hawaii's dentists and doctors and all government health organizations endorse fluoridation, that should be good enough for the legislators.
Opposition to fluoridation is based on the same sort of fear-mongering and misinformation that inspired the opposition to irradiation of fruit on the Big Island.
Years ago fluoridation was painted as a Communist plot to poison Americans. We don't hear that anymore, but there are still many people ready to believe that there is something sinful about using any sort of chemical or advanced scientific process to tamper with nature.
People who oppose fluoridation on the grounds that we shouldn't put chemicals in Hawaii's water may be unaware that the Board of Water Supply puts chlorine in it, for the very good reason that chlorine acts as a disinfectant.
In an article on the opposite page yesterday, Rep. David Pendleton asserted that "Hawaii's families should have the right to choose pure drinking water." Does he want the chlorine taken out of the water?
Fortunately the House majority didn't share Pendleton's views and gave preliminary approval to the fluoridation bill. Senator Chun Oakland should reconsider her position and let the Legislature pass fluoridation. Hawaii's children need it.
Russo-NATO relations
FOR nearly a year, conflicts in Kosovo and Chechnya have frozen relations between Russia and NATO. Russia expelled NATO representatives in retaliation for the alliance's bombing campaign in the Kosovo region of Yugoslavia.
NATO later deplored Russia's seemingly indiscriminate attack on Chechen rebels and civilians alike in the breakaway Russian republic. A meeting between Russian Acting President Vladimir Putin and NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson in Moscow fortunately has resulted in an agreement to restore ties.
Robertson said Putin shared with him "my view that the chilly period should come to an end. I think we've moved from the permafrost onto slightly softer ground."
Putin had good reason to restore relations with the West. While the war in Chechnya is popular with Russian voters, their chief concern is the economy, devastated by corruption and organized crime since the fall of communism nearly a decade ago.
Russia must rely upon the West for money, technology and expertise to put it on the road to recovery. Russia's credit rating improved last week after Western lenders agreed to reschedule $31.8 billion in bad debts.
For NATO, restored relations with Russia are important to maintain stability, permit progress on arms reduction and reduce the danger of war.
President Clinton praised Putin this week as a leader he could work with; Putin sent Sergei Ivanov, chairman of the Russian Security Council, to Washington to discuss arms proliferation and a potential summit meeting of Putin and Clinton.
The United States and NATO should continue to exert pressure on Russia to seek a negotiated peace in Chechnya.
However, that pressure should not involve withholding financial assistance. Such aid, with conditions aimed at helping Russia achieve a market economy and a stable democracy, is in America's long-term interest as well as Russia's.
Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited PartnershipRupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
