After a four-year battle, we have a fact sheet law in Philadelphia, the first city to adopt such a law. Our cause was led by Freya Koss, head of the PA Coalition for Mercury-Free Dentistry, who assembled a grassroots team, worked with the city government, and engaged the press. The sponsor was Blondell Reynolds Brown, who tirelessly worked through the amending and the educating of her fellow Councilpersons to build a unanimous vote on December 13, 2007, for passage of the law. Consumers for Dental Choice honored Blondell as our Public Official of the Year.
The law requires the Philadelphia Board of Health to write a fact sheet within six months. And here’s some great news; the law requires the participation of Consumers for Dental Choice, one of three groups named to be consultants. Already, Charlie Brown has written the Commissioner of Health about what the law requires, and the timetables.
As with all fact sheet laws --- e.g., California, Maine, New Hampshire --- passing the law is only half the battle. The other half is to make sure that powerful dentist bureaucrats inside government don’t sandbag the law. We must not assume that passing the law means it will be enforced; our experience is to the contrary, unless we are eternally vigilant.
Hence, Consumers for Dental Choice has designated Freya to be our negotiator at City Hall; remember, we have an official role to play so they must listen to us. Freya will be again be using a grassroots strategy to victory. She welcomes any volunteers who want to help --email frekoss@aol.com
Charlie Brown
February 26, 2008
Charles G. Brown, National Counsel
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210 , Washington, DC 20002
Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 544-6331
charlie@toxicteeth.org;