Yesterday, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that it was a matter of when, not if, the new coronavirus would begin to affect communities here in the United States. “It’s not so much of a question of if this will happen anymore but rather more of a question of exactly when […]
Posts Tagged ‘Public health’
Sidewalk Dining: Some Questions and Answers
Friday, September 13th, 2013Imagine a balmy autumn evening. You and your family or friends have plans to go out for dinner. The restaurant that you have in mind offers you the chance to grab a table outdoors on the sidewalk. Have you ever wondered about what arrangements are made by the restaurant and governmental agencies to make “eating […]
2010 Public Health Legislation: Vaccines and Pimiento Cheese
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010I am in the process of coordinating the Local Government Legislative Review Webinar scheduled for this Thursday, August 12 from 10-12 (it’s not too late to register!). We have a fantastic and diverse lineup of presenters talking about everything from ABC changes to zoning for video sweepstakes. As the faculty coordinator for the program, I […]
Blood Exposures and Disease Control Law
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010UPDATE September 28, 2016: An updated version of this post has been published and is available here. Some of the most interesting questions I get are about exposure to human blood. My work in this area predates the current craze for vampire literature–it’s a long-standing public health issue that arises out of fact scenarios that […]
Does North Carolina’s New Smoking Ban Apply to your Country Club?
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010UPDATE: In March 2012, the N.C. Court of Appeals held that the smoking law’s exemption for country clubs extends only to nonprofit country clubs. Edwards v. Morrow, 725 S.E.2d 366 (N.C. App. Mar. 20, 2012), appeal dismissed and review denied, 2012 WL 6651164 (N.C. Dec. 12, 2012). For more information, see this post. Since January 2, […]
Local Smoking Regulation: Should You Adopt a Health Rule or an Ordinance?
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009The new smoking law, S.L. 2009-27, not only prohibits smoking in most bars and restaurants across the state but it also significantly expands local governments’ authority to regulate smoking. Beginning January 2, 2010, local governments may adopt and enforce ordinances, board of health rules, and policies restricting or prohibiting smoking that are more restrictive than […]
Smoking: What Is A Restaurant?
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009Shortly after the 2010 New Years’ celebrations have died down, smoking will be prohibited in most restaurants and bars across the state. In addition, local governments will have new authority to regulate smoking in many public places. The new law can be seen here and my summary of it is in this Health Law Bulletin […]