Canadian-born comedian Jim Carrey has gone on a bit of a Twitter tear, lashing out against California's new mandatory vaccination law, insisting he's not anti-vaccine, just "anti-neurotoxin."
Carrey was clearly angry about the California bill signed into law Wednesday that makes vaccinations mandatory for nearly every child in school and daycare in the state.
The law eliminates California’s previous exemptions from vaccinations for personal or religious beliefs.
In signing the law, Gov. Brown insisted "the science is clear that vaccines dramatically protect children against a number of infectious and dangerous diseases."
But Carrey made it clear he disagrees, subsequently unleashing a torrent of tweets about "mercury laden" vaccines being filled with "neurotoxins" that were "poisoning" children.
Here's a sample:
California Gov says yes to poisoning more children with mercury and aluminum in manditory vaccines. This corporate fascist must be stopped.
— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) July 1, 2015
I am not anti-vaccine. I am anti-thimerosal, anti-mercury. They have taken some of the mercury laden thimerosal out of vaccines. NOT ALL!
— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) July 1, 2015
Each tweet received hundreds of replies from Carrey's 14.7 million followers, many of which devolved into vicious arguments between supporters and opponents of vaccines.
Most of Carrey's assertions are misguided, as health agencies have long pointed out that the amount of mercury in preservatives used in some vaccines is infinitesimal and comprised of ethyl mercury, not toxic methylmercury.
As well, there is no evidence that vaccines contain any of the "neurotoxins" Carrey refers to.
Carrey famously dated actress Jenny McCarthy who was once described as "the nation's most prominent purveyor of anti-vaxxer ideology."
McCarthy emerged as a vocal anti-vaccination crusader after becoming convinced her son Evan's autism was linked to too many vaccinations. Her claims were misguided, as several studies have proven that vaccinations have no link with autism.
Carrey has mostly remained silent on vaccines, but the California bill striking down the personal belief exemption in California clearly caused him to make his opinions heard.
Gov. Brown conceded that any vaccination carries a certain degree of risk, but was convinced the law would help stop spread vaccine-preventable disease, including the measles outbreak that began in the state's Disneyland park and went on to sicken 147 people, most of them unvaccinated.
"While it's true that no medical intervention is without risk," Brown wrote. "The evidence shows that immunization powerfully benefits and protects the community."
