From the Public Health Law Program, Office of the Chief of Public Health Practice, CDC
http://www2a.cdc.gov/phlp/

*** SARS Series. The South China Morning Post has published a five-part series on the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic that began in 2003. To access the articles, visit http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.fbb9378714106e9733492d9253
a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=813b45cf8e492110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=Specials&s=Home
&channelManagedId=74c9c28fbaf48110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&specName=After+Sars.

*** Ethics, Human Rights, International Law Article. A 2007 paper entitled "The Duty of States to Assist Other States in Need: Ethics, Human rights, and International Law," written by Lawrence O. Gostin and Robert Archer, has been released and is freely downloadable from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1095769.

*** Tobacco Industry Report. A coalition of public health organizations, including the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, have released Big Tobacco's Guinea Pigs: How an Unregulated Industry Experiments on America's Kids and Consumers. To access the report, visit http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/products/index.php.

*** Tobacco Law Information. The Technical Assistance Legal Center (TALC) has released a supplement to "Tobacco Laws Affecting California." TALC has also published Model Ordinance Checklists to help communities draft and adopt legislation based on the Center's model ordinances. To access the documents, visit http://www.talc.phi.org/.

*** Public Health Law Internship. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is offering a paid, full-time, summer internship in public health law. The intern will work at the Foundation office in Princeton, New Jersey, and gain experience in legal research and analysis. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org/about/jobdetail.jsp?id=10112.

*** Unsafe Food Hearing (3/12). The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing entitled "Regulatory Failure: Must America Live with Unsafe Food?" on March 12, 2008. For more information, visit http://energycommerce.house.gov/membios/schedule.shtml.

*** Lead Poisoning Prevention Meeting (3/18-3/19). CDC will host an open meeting of the Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention on March 18-19, 2008, at the CDC campus in Atlanta. For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/events/calendar.htm.

Top Story

1. California: In a massive disaster, care will be scarce

States and Localities

2. New York: Council vote for good health may weaken business at groceries

3. North Carolina: Law will bring monitoring changes

4. Virginia: Bill targets frequent test-takers at DMV

National

5. Humane Society Sues USDA over mad-cow safety rules

6. More families are shunning inoculations

7. Superbug defies antibiotics

8. Unsafe at any speed, with any driver

International

9. Israel: Israelis fume over smoking ban on army bases

Briefly Noted

Alaska greenhouse gas suit · California EPA decision · Free lunch · Ship exhaust limits · Idaho field burning pact · Massachusetts healthcare initiative · Teen smoking · Nebraska smoking ban · New Jersey cell phone drivers · North Carolina TVA pollution suit · Virginia school emergency plans · West Virginia DuPont suit · National Great Lakes report · Asbestos exposure · School lunch standards · Indian health care bill · Australia reckless HIV guidelines · Canada vaccination ruling · Sausage rules · Japan asbestos suit · Uganda smoking ban ruling · United Kingdom nicotine patches

Quotation of the Week

A news story headline, circa 1930

This Week's Feature

Monthly Quiz. Are you itching to show off your superior powers of recall? Try the February Quiz and wow your friends with your News knowledge! See below.

_____________________________1_____________________________

"In a massive disaster, care will be scarce"

Sacramento Bee     (03/02/08)     Dorsey Griffith

http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/753359.html

The California Department of Public Health (DPH) recently issued groundbreaking guidance for health care and emergency responders in the event of a disaster. The guidance document comprises 1,900 pages and focuses on the need to suspend or flex established laws and to ration health care during catastrophes. "I don't know of any state that has taken it to this level of detail in outlining a surge plan for everyone who needs to respond to an emergency of this magnitude," said Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health. The guidelines go against the ingrained instincts of professionals who are trained to save lives at almost any cost, according to Betsey Lyman, deputy director for public health emergency preparedness at DPH. "This is, 'OK, we have limited resources. How do we best save the greatest number of lives?'" Lyman said. For instance, to minimize red tape, hospitals will not be required to report births, deaths, infectious disease outbreaks, medication errors, or suspected child or elder abuse. Also, unlicensed or retired health care providers with lapsed licenses will be recruited to provide emergency care during a health care surge. The guidance suggests that medical treatment go first to people who are more likely to survive with immediate intervention rather than to those who are most critically ill. "Everybody will have to think differently," said Duane Dauner, president of the California Hospital Association.

[Editor's note: To access "Standards and Guidelines for Healthcare Surge during Emergencies," see http://bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov/EPO/CDPHPrograms/PublicHealthPrograms/Emergency
PreparednessOffice/EPOProgramsServices/Surge/SurgeStandardsGuidelines/.]

_____________________________2_____________________________

"Council vote for good health may weaken business at groceries in poor neighborhoods"

New York Times     (02/28/08)     Ray Rivera

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/nyregion/28grocer.html

In its latest public health initiative, the New York City Council has approved a bill that increases the number of fruit and vegetable sidewalk carts allowed in neighborhoods with high rates of obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. The measure focuses on those neighborhoods, where a dearth of supermarkets make many residents rely on bodegas (small grocery shops) for food purchases. In 2006, the city health department conducted a survey finding that only 20 to 40 percent of bodegas carried apples, oranges and bananas and that only 2 to 6 percent sold leafy green vegetables. "This is not going to end the obesity epidemic, but it is an important step to increase access to healthy food in the communities that need it most," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, the city's health commissioner. One of the main concerns expressed by some Council members was how neighborhoods were chosen for more produce vendors. Areas were targeted based on consumption rather than supply; neighborhoods where more than 15 percent of residents said they had not eaten fruits or vegetables in the last 24 hours made the list, no matter how many area stores offered fresh produce. "It's the execution that's wrong," said Sung Soo Kim, president of the Korean-American Small Business Service Center of New York. Kim said the city should identify neighborhoods where fresh fruit and vegetables are not available before deciding where to place vendors. Councilman John C. Liu of Queens criticized the city for "backwards voodoo economics" and proposed that a small number of vendors be sent to the neighborhoods to see if "increasing supply actually increases demand." 

[Editor's note: To read "A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to green carts," which has now been sent to Mayor Bloomberg for his signature, see http://webdocs.nyccouncil.info/textfiles/Int 0665-2007.htm?CFID=1392793&CFTOKEN=95561856.]

_____________________________3_____________________________

"Law will bring monitoring changes"

Fayetteville Observer     (02/28/08)     Greg Barnes

http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=286872

Beginning July 1, 2008, all new wells in North Carolina will be inspected, sampled, and granted permits  to ensure that drinking water complies with state standards. "The current lack of effective monitoring of water quality from private drinking water wells may leave our state's population vulnerable to unrecognized health threats," said Jim Hayes, an environmental supervisor with the North Carolina Division of Public Health. According to state estimates, between 10,000 and 20,000 new wells are drilled in North Carolina each year, and only 32 of the state's 85 local health departments test wells for contaminants. Under the new law, certified laboratories will test water using the same standards applied to public water supplies. Originally, the state considered using stricter standards outlined in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' public health goals. But opposition from well drillers and others in the water industry led the state's Commission for Public Health to adopt the less stringent standards already applied to public drinking water supplies. "We can't force anybody to follow these public health goals. They are ideals that we would like to strive for," said Dr. Doug Campbell, head of the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch of the state's Division of Public Health. The most pronounced difference between the public health goals and public water supply standards deals with arsenic. The public water supply standard is 10 parts per billion; the public health goal, 0.0017 parts per billion. Wells will be inspected for arsenic and 19 other contaminants, including coliform bacteria, barium, copper, lead, mercury, nitrate, and zinc.

[Editor's note: To read "An Act to require permitting and inspection of new private drinking water wells and to require water quality testing of private drinking water wells," North Carolina Session Law 2006-202, see http://www.legislature.state.nc.us/Sessions/2005/Bills/House/PDF/H2873v6.pdf.]

_____________________________4_____________________________

"Bill targets frequent test-takers at DMV"

Washington Post     (02/28/08)     Anita Kumar

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/27/AR2008022703283.html

Virginia legislators may soon finalize legislation to limit the number of times that a person can take a driver's license exam. Karen Chappell, deputy commissioner of operations for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), said the measure would increase road safety, reduce congestion at DMV offices, and save money. "We've got people basically using the road test to learn how to drive," Chappell said. The original House bill would restrict applicants to no more than three written or behind-the-wheel tests every three months. Applicants who fail three times would need to attend driving school prior to re-taking the test(s). (Current Virginia law allows applicants to take both exams an unlimited number of times for $2 per test.) According to the DMV, a majority of failing applicants are adults; people younger than 19 years old must complete in-class and behind-the-wheel training whereas older applicants have no such requirements. Massachusetts and Minnesota have already enacted measures that require driving school after a certain number of failed tests; New York and Kansas charge higher fees to applicants who fail multiple times; and Washington D.C. limits applicants to three tests per year. The Virginia bill passed unanimously in the state House, and the Senate passed an amended version of the bill on March 4, 2008. The amended bill now goes back to the House.

[Editor's note: To read HB 1245, as amended by the state Senate, see http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+ful+HB1245S1. To check the status of the bill, see http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+sum+HB1245.]

_____________________________5_____________________________

"Humane Society Sues USDA over mad-cow safety rules"

Wall Street Journal     (02/28/08)     Ilan Brat and others

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120416641582098803.html?mod=googlenews_wsj (subscription required)

The Humane Society filed suit last week against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) over a purported loophole in regulations meant to prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Under USDA regulations, "downer cattle" that cannot stand or walk on their own are generally prohibited from entering the human food supply because inability to walk is a symptom of BSE. But in July 2007, USDA issued a regulatory exception to that rule, allowing federal veterinarians to determine case-by-case whether to permit non-ambulatory cattle that become injured following an initial inspection. "It's an inconsistent policy in the sense that the timing of the animal going down is irrelevant in terms of the food-safety or animal-health issues," said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society. USDA declined comment on the pending litigation. According to Ron DeHaven, chief executive of the American Veterinary Medical Association and former administrator of animal testing at USDA, three main safeguards protect humans from eating BSE-infected meat, which can lead to a fatal brain affliction. First, hundreds of thousands of high risk cattle have been tested by USDA since 2003 (with only one in a million diagnosed with BSE); second, USDA generally prohibits downer cattle; third, USDA prohibits feed containing brain, spinal-cord tissue and other parts that could contain BSE. Immediately prior to filing suit, the Humane Society released a video showing workers at a meat plant in California processing downer cattle for human consumption; the video prompted the recall of 143 million pounds of beef.

[Editor's note: To read the complaint filed by the Humane Society filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, see http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/farm/hsus-v-schafer-usda-complaint.pdf .]

_____________________________6_____________________________

"More families are shunning inoculations"

New York Times     (03/02/08)     Fran Silverman

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/02Rvaccine.html

As the number of vaccines required by states for school entry increases, so does the number of parents seeking exemptions for religious and medical reasons. Many such exemption requests come from parents who believe that the vaccine preservative thimerosal causes autism, despite studies by CDC and other major health organizations that have failed to show a causal link. "The whole vaccinations process is based on fear of getting diseases but I would rather put my faith in God to heal diseases," said Rita M. Palma of New York, who wants a religious exemption for her sons. Last week, a CDC advisory panel recommended that children ages six months to 18 years receive annual influenza shots (rather than six months to five years). Also, both New Jersey and New York now mandate pneumonia vaccines for preschool children and booster shots against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus for sixth graders; New Jersey further requires influenza shots for preschoolers and a meningitis booster for sixth graders; and Connecticut is considering similar measures. "With the sheer number of vaccinations recommended there is more of a backlash, more parents with questions," said Mike Bolduc, epidemiologist for the Connecticut Department of Health's immunization program. More parents are also requesting medical and religious waivers; in New York, the percent of the school-age population exempted from mandatory vaccination has almost doubled since 1999. New York and New Jersey also have legislation pending that would add a "conscientious objector" exemption to give parents another waiver avenue.

[Editor's note: To access the recommendations of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), upon which the recently passed New Jersey vaccination requirements are based, see http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/ACIP-list.htm.]

_____________________________7_____________________________

"Superbug defies antibiotics"

Baltimore Sun     (03/01/08)     Dennis O'Brien

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.mrsa01mar01,0,4304662.story?track=rss

Public health officials, hospitals, and legislators in Maryland have been debating the best legislative approach to curbing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). "I think what all the experts are recognizing is that there's no single silver-bullet approach to this problem," said Dr. John Jernigan, CDC expert on hospital-acquired MRSA. In a report released last fall, CDC estimated that MRSA could be responsible for more than 19,000 deaths a year in the United States. Maryland legislation that failed this session would have required hospitals to report MRSA cases to state health authorities and to test high-risk patients, but the bills died in the state's Senate Finance Committee. "It's clear to me hospitals don't want to be told this is the way to go," said Sen. Lisa A. Gladden, who sponsored the measures. According to the Maryland Hospital Association, the bills were flawed. "It would have taken clinical guidelines and made them into law, and that's never a good idea," said Nancy Fielder, spokeswoman for the Association. Also, some experts say the problem is too complicated for a blanket approach. While MRSA might be a serious threat in some hospitals, universal testing would diminish resources at facilities where infections are rare and could thwart efforts to tailor better solutions, said Kathy Warye, CEO of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Meanwhile, New Jersey, New York, and the Department of Veterans Affairs have mandated that hospitals test all patients for MRSA upon admittance; Pennsylvania and Illinois have required hospitals to test patients considered high-risk.

[Editor's note: To read N.J.S.A. 26:2H-12.35, et seq., the New Jersey law enacted last year, see http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/PL07/120_.PDF.]

_____________________________8_____________________________

"Unsafe at any speed, with any driver"

Wall Street Journal     (03/03/08)     Cynthia Crossen

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120450278846906421.html?mod=googlenews_wsj (subscription required)

In 1930, automobiles constituted one of the United States' major public health threats, when more than 31,000 people died on the nation's roads. By comparison, today some 42,000 people die every year in automobile-related accidents, but there are 10 times as many cars and a host of road and safety standards, driver license requirements, and traffic laws that address issues from drunk driving to speeding. In the first decades of the twentieth century, a typical headline in a regional newspaper would read "Twenty-One Persons Meet Death in Auto Accidents on Sunday" or "16 killed, 31 Others Injured in Traffic Crashes." Early automobiles had none of today's safety features, such as anti-lock brakes, steel-belted tires, or shatter-proof glass. In many states, drivers were not required to pass any types of exams or be a certain age to get behind the wheel. And in New York City, traffic laws were enforced only from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In 1925, almost 16,000 children were struck by cars in New York state; 560 of them died. Also compounding the fatality rate were pedestrians who were unfamiliar with the new rules of the road. After tens of thousands of deaths, drivers and regulators realized how dangerous even a sober, adult driver could be, and began to implement safety laws such as speed limits.

_____________________________9_____________________________

"Israelis fume over smoking ban on army bases"

The Forward     (02/29/08)     Nathan Jeffay

http://www.forward.com/articles/12803/

Israel's legislature has enacted a smoking prohibition in all indoor areas on Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bases, to curb the habit before it starts. "With a ban on army bases, I believe army culture will change and you will see fewer and fewer people in Israel smoking, as fewer people are taking up the habit as soldiers," said Yoel Hasson, a legislator who pushed the IDF ban after helping to enact a ban on smoking in other public places (e.g., restaurants) six months ago. Historically, cigarettes have been at the center of day-to-day life in the IDF, said Baruch Levi, head of the Israel Defense Forces Veterans Association. "In the first days of the IDF, they were distributed formally. They are part and parcel of the culture. In times of tension, when decisions needed making and plans formulating, it was done among smoke," Levi said. Many soldiers in the IDF are angered by the ban. "I cannot believe that we are being told that one of the few ways of relieving stress is against the rules," said a solder from Haifa. "We will ignore this." Soldier-opponents of the measure say that it will be difficult to enforce the ban because many high-ranking officers smoke and because it will make the IDF inefficient. "It will end up wasting a lot of time, because people will end up demanding breaks to go outside and smoke every three minutes," said Orahn Press-Bloom, a former IDF soldier. The prohibition takes effect this summer.

_____________________BRIEFLY NOTED______________________

Alaska: Coastal village files suit against companies for greenhouse gases

"On the brink, village fights back"

International Herald Tribune     (02/28/08)     Felicity Barringer

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/27/america/27alaska.php

California: Agency releases document explaining emissions decision

"EPA to state: it's global warming, not California"

Associated Press     (02/29/08)     Erica Werner

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-waiver1mar01,0,4048681.story

California: Officials attempt to overcome stigma associated with subsidized lunch

"Free school lunch isn't cool, so some students go hungry"

New York Times     (03/01/08)     Carol Pogash

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/education/01lunch.html?em&ex=1204520400&en=1f1231653
d9794b2&ei=5087

California: Appeals court says CA needs permission to regulate port pollution

"Court rejects California limits on ship emissions"

Los Angeles Times     (02/28/08)     Marla Cone

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ships28feb28,0,213846.story

Idaho: Groups agree to plan for controlled burning to exceed federal standards

"New ID field burning pact includes strict limits, public notice"

Idaho Statesman     (02/25/08)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_id_field_burning.html

Massachusetts: As 200,000 get insurance, "free care" drops 16 percent

"Decline is seen in use of free care"

Boston Globe     (03/03/08)     Alice Dembner

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/03/03/decline_is_seen_in_use_of_free_care/

Massachusetts: State credits tobacco control program, indoor smoking ban for decline

"Teenage cigarette use drops in Mass."

Boston Globe     (02/27/08)     Stephen Smith

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/02/27/teenage_cigarette_use_drops_in_mass/

Nebraska: Ban takes effect June 1, 2009

"Nebraska's new smoke ban tougher than most states'"

Omaha World-Herald     (02/27/08)     Leslie Reed

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10268586

New Jersey: Law makes cell phone use a primary offense

"New Jersey begins tighter phone rules for drivers"
New York Times     (03/02/08)     Nate Schweber

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/nyregion/02law.html

North Carolina: State has enough evidence of health problems from power plant emissions

"Judge OKs TVA suit for trial"

Asheville Citizen-Times     (02/29/08)     Clarke Morrison

http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880228062&source=rss

Virginia: Legislature sends bill to Gov. Kaine

"Bill requires colleges to have emergency plan"

Associated Press     (02/27/08)     Richmond Digest

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/26/AR2008022603216.html

West Virginia: Judge upholds $196.2 M punitive damages, $130 M for medical monitoring

"Judge stands by damages award against DuPont in class action"

Associated Press     (02/26/08)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120403987986093811.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

National: Congress probes CDC delay of Great Lakes contamination report

"Congressional panel calls for release of CDC report about the Great Lakes"

Chicago Tribune     (02/29/08)     James Janega

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-lakesstudyfeb29,1,2189605.story

National: Asbestos limits for miners now in line with standard for other industries

"MSHA toughens limit on asbestos exposure"

Associated Press     (03/01/08)

http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=7955793

National: Federal auditors find weak safety standards reported in 2003

"School lunch at risk for years"

Wall Street Journal     (03/03/08)     Elizabeth Williamson

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120450993822606723.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

National: Bill would improve screening and mental health programs

"Senate passes bill to improve health care on Indian reservations"

Associated Press     (02/27/08)     Mary Clare Jalonick

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6600ap_wst_congress_indian_health.html

Australia: New guidelines send HIV+ people who have unprotected sex to police

"Police to be told about reckless HIV acts"

The Age     (02/26/08)     Julia Medew

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/police-to-be-told-about-reckless-hiv-acts/2008/02/25/120378
8246905.html

Canada: Parents cite autism concerns for failure to vaccinate

"Baby of hep B mother must be vaccinated, judge rules"

National Post     (02/27/08)     Tom Blackwell

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=336429

Canada: New licensing plan will bring strict regulations to sausage making

"Regulations kill piece of Ottawa Valley's culinary heritage"

Pembroke Observer     (02/27/08)     Marie Zettler

http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=919585

Japan: Government to be sued for failure to warn

"Group plans to sue government over inaction on asbestos"

Yomiuri Shimbun     (02/28/08)

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080229TDY02310.htm

Uganda: Appeals Court upholds smoking ban against challenge by ex-BAT official

"Smoking in public remains banned"

Weekly Observer     (02/28/08)     Irene Kiiza

http://allafrica.com/stories/200802280647.html

United Kingdom: NHS advisory body guidelines recommend patches for kids

"Child nicotine patches approved"

BBC News     (02/27/08)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7265607.stm

__________PHL NEWS QUOTATION OF THE WEEK___________

 "The automobile is here to slay."

-- A news story headline, circa 1930, on the rising number of people killed by automobiles. Laws and regulations governing vehicle standards, driver licensing, and road safety were enacted in response to tens of thousands of deaths. [See item 8, above.]

_________THE MONTHLY QUIZ: FEBRUARY 2008_________

Welcome to the Monthly Quiz! To win, be the first reader to answer all the quiz questions correctly. The winner will be recognized in the News (if you prefer not to be recognized, please let us know).

Each quiz contains questions from News stories and other content published in February 2008 (for past issues, visit http://www2a.cdc.gov/phlp/dailynews/default.asp ). Check next week's issue of the News for the correct answers. Submit your answers by email to cseely@cdc.gov.

For each of the following questions, choose the one best answer.

1. Paint manufacturers in _________ asked the state Supreme Court to overturn a jury verdict that found them liable for creating a public nuisance with their lead-based paints. (February 6, 2008 issue)

A. California

B. Iowa

C. Ohio

D. Rhode Island

2. In 2007, Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Oregon passed ___________________. (February 13, 2008 issue)

A. smoking bans

B. cyberbullying laws

C. trans fat restrictions

D. universal health care

3. A state senator in Washington recently introduced a bill that would require convicted drunk drivers to place fluorescent-yellow license plates on their cars for one year. True or False? (February 20, 2008 issue)

A. True

B. False

4. The U.S. Supreme Court held that federal law preempts Maine's regulations for online sales of ____________________. (February 27, 2008 issue)

A. tobacco products                

B. prescription medication

C. raw milk

D. none of the above

___________________________________________________________

The CDC Public Health Law News is published each Wednesday except holidays, plus special issues when warranted. It is distributed only in electronic form and is free of charge.  News content is selected solely on the basis of newsworthiness and potential interest to readers. CDC and DHHS assume no responsibility for the factual accuracy of the items presented. The selection, omission, or content of items does not imply any endorsement or other position taken by CDC or DHHS. Opinions expressed by the original authors of items included in the News, or persons quoted therein, are strictly their own and are in no way meant to represent the opinion or views of CDC or DHHS. References to products, trade names, publications, news sources, and non-CDC Websites are provided solely for informational purposes and do not imply endorsement by CDC or DHHS. Legal cases are presented for educational purposes only, and are not meant to represent the current state of the law. The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of CDC. The News is in the public domain and may be freely forwarded and reproduced without permission. The original news sources and the CDC Public Health Law News should be cited as sources. Readers should contact the cited news sources for the full text of the articles.

For past issues or to subscribe to the weekly CDC Public Health Law News, visit http://www2a.cdc.gov/phlp/cphln.asp. For help with subscriptions or to make comments or suggestions, send an email to Rachel Weiss at rweiss@cdc.gov.

The News is published by the Public Health Law Program, Office of the Chief of Public Health Practice, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Rachel Weiss, J.D., Editor; Christopher Seely, J.D., Associate Editor; Karen L. McKie, J.D., M.L.S., Editorial Advisor.