Discussion: Government Authority to Regulate Public Health

A basic function of government and a primary goal of the constitution that creates the government is keeping people safe. It is often referred to as exercising “police power.” In the United States, the government’s authority to regulate for the protection of public health and to provide health services is based on police power, which is the power to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people.

Public health powers were initially exercised at the state and local levels; currently, the federal government plays a large role in the regulation of public health and the provision of health services.

Considering this, respond to the following:

Where in the US Constitution does the government obtain its authority to regulate public health?
Do you believe the government has the authority to ban things that are believed to be harmful, such as trans-fats? Why or why not?

Give examples and reasons in support of your responses.

Write your initial response in 300–500 words.

Respond to the question using the lessons and vocabulary found in the readings. Support your answers with examples and research. Your responses should clarify your understanding of the topic. They should be your own, original, and free from plagiarism. Follow the APA format for writing style, spelling and grammar, and citation of sources.

Evaluation Criteria:

Identified where the US Constitution gives the government authority to regulate public health.
Provided your opinion on whether the government has the authority to ban things that are believed to be harmful.
Justified your answers with appropriate research and reasoning.
Commented on the postings of at least two peers.

You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.

Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.

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The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument