BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Several other cities in Washington are joining Lynden in the debate over their use of fluoride in drinking water.

City councils in Longview, Battle Ground and Camas have all held or scheduled informational meetings to discuss the issue this month.

It follows the Lynden City Council’s decision last fall to move forward with an ordinance which would repeal the 1958 order that began the city’s fluoridation program.

The council had previously approved the ordinance in the summer, but Mayor Scott Korthuis vetoed it, citing heavy support for keeping fluoride that was voiced by residents in past meetings.

The new ordinance to remove fluoride will be brought up at a council meeting in the near future.

Proponents of fluoride argue it prevents tooth decay and can save on dental bills, while critics call it involuntary medication that could be dangerous.

The debate gained new traction after a federal judge in California last year ordered the EPA to further regulate fluoride in drinking water after finding high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children.