Appropriations from tobacco settlement moneys for fluoride studies.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that children in Hawaii have tooth decay rates that far exceed those documented on the United States mainland, based upon the department of health's 1999 findings among public elementary school children statewide. At an average of 3.9 decayed teeth per child, the rate of dental caries among children ages 5 through 9 in Hawaii is 2.1 times the last published United States national average of 1.9. Hawaii's dental caries prevalence rate is among the highest in the nation. The rates among Hawaii's Native Hawaiians (4.2) and Filipinos (5.5) exceed the national average by 2.2 and 2.9 times, respectively. In Hawaii, dramatic variance has been documented between children attending military base schools and children attending schools not associated with military bases. While a variety of factors affect dental health, the fact that Hawaii's military base water systems are optimally fluoridated is considered the major factor contributing to the superior oral health found among military base elementary school students.

Since the mid-1950s, Hawaii's military base drinking water systems have been fluoridated. This policy was implemented and has since been maintained as the most effective means of reducing both the incidence and the severity of tooth decay and the costs associated with dental disease treatment. Research by the department of health has shown conclusively that children in Hawaii suffer from rates of tooth decay that far exceed that experienced by children on the mainland. While an estimated 13 per cent of Hawaii's resident population have access to optimally fluoridated drinking water, this percentage places Hawaii second lowest in the nation. When considering only our non-military population, Hawaii is ranked last.

The legislature further finds that the latest research during the year 2000 found fluoridation of water to be safe. The Honolulu Advertiser published an article on October 6, 2000, stating, "The first examination of 50 years of research on the safety of adding fluoride to drinking water found no evidence of harm, and some experts said the findings should allay lingering fears it could cause cancer, osteoporosis or Down syndrome." The research was published in the British Medical Journal, which also published similar results in a study conducted by Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon.

The legislature further finds that the Office of the United States Surgeon General issued a report on May 25, 2000, which found that, "Community water fluoridation is an effective, safe, and ideal public health measure to prevent tooth decay." More importantly, the report also stated, "The major message of this Surgeon General's report is that oral health is essential to the general health and well-being of all Americans and can be achieved by all Americans. What amounts to a 'silent epidemic' of oral diseases is affecting our most vulnerable citizens – poor children, the elderly, and many members of racial and ethnic minority groups..."

The legislature further finds the fluoridation of water is most necessary for school age children, which comprises a small percentage of the overall state population. Therefore, fluoridation efforts should be targeted to elementary school children rather than the general population.

The purpose of this Act is to make appropriations for the study of the effects of fluoridation on elementary school children.

SECTION 2. The research corporation of the University of Hawaii shall contract for a study, using funds appropriated under section 3 of this Act, for a study on the effects of fluoridation on children. The study shall be a five-year research project that follows children using fluoride to ascertain the dental and medical effects of fluoride. School children shall be allowed to participate in the study upon parental consent. For purposes of the study, fluoride may be administered through topical application, pill, or other acceptable means.

The research corporation of the University of Hawaii shall expend a part of the funds appropriated under section 3 of this Act to teach elementary school children in public and private schools about dental hygiene and oral health; provided that the corporation may pay the necessary funds to the department of education for this purpose, in which case the department of education, with the assistance of the department of health, shall teach the children about dental hygiene and oral health.

The research corporation of the University of Hawaii shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the regular session of 2006; provided that an interim progress report shall be submitted in time for the 2003 Session.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the tobacco settlement moneys appropriated to the department of health under section 328L-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the sum of $3,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, to the research corporation of the University of Hawaii to contract for a study on the effects of fluoridation on children and to teach elementary school students about dental hygiene and oral health.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.