Brooke Torton

Backlash to public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in the passing of bills designed to curb state and local public health authority. Many of these bills misconstrued critical definitions, legal concepts, and sources of law, while also conflating the roles of the branches of government. This fact sheet provides definitions of legal concepts, clarifying information of the roles of certain government officials with a focus on the source and breadth of public health authority granted to the County Health Officers and local Boards of Health in Maryland.

Big Tobacco has historically targeted youth, the LGBTQ+ community, and African Americans with tailored marketing campaigns for menthol tobacco products. Menthol is a flavor additive that reduces the harshness and irritation of smoking, and enhances the addictive effects of nicotine in the brain. Similarly, it increases the chances that youth who begin smoking will habitually use these products. On April 28 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took an important step toward advancing health equity by announcing two proposed rules that will reduce tobacco-related health disparities.

by Overview 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET | December 15, 2021Attend this webinar for an examination of some of the most important and…

by Overview 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET | June 24, 2021Nationwide, state and local public health officials working to protect the public from…

The Network examined whether states and Washington, D.C., have criminal statutes to address individuals who impede public health officials’ duties with such behavior. This 50-state resource outlines these statutes.

Nationwide, state and local public health officials working to protect the public from COVID-19 are on the receiving end of threatening and harassing conduct for simply fulfilling their duty to protect the public health. In response, the Network conducted research to examine whether the states and Washington, D.C., have criminal statutes punishing individuals who impede public health officials’ duties with such behavior.

Join Network attorneys as they highlight their top choices for pivotal, influential judicial decisions over the past year on topics including emergency legal preparedness, religious freedoms, reproductive rights, food insecurity, health justice, and the future of the ACA.

COVID-19 has unquestionably altered every facet of daily life, including where and how goods are purchased. For those who use tobacco products, including vape products, a patchwork of state laws continues to determine where these products may be sold because of orders classifying businesses as essential and non-essential.

Among the most pressing public health issues of 2018, access to healthcare, electronic nicotine delivery systems, injury prevention, and food insecurity saw significant legislation and policy impacts. In this webinar, subject matter experts will recap how four important public health initiatives—expansion of scope of practice; regulation of electronic nicotine delivery systems; traumatic brain injury prevention; and food insecurity and SNAP—were impacted in 2018.