What are public health laws?
Public health laws include all statutes and regulations that directly or indirectly promote, protect or improve the public’s health and safety. Public health laws help to create and govern public health agencies, as well as regulate private sector actors in the interests of the public’s health. Some public health laws clearly identify, prevent and reduce risks to health and safety, including laws that ban smoking in public places, protect our food supply and require the use of vaccines to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. Some laws often have unintentional impacts on public health and safety. For example, zoning laws that require sidewalks, parks and playgrounds in residential areas increase opportunities for physical activity, which may decrease the risks of obesity in a community.
