ABSTRACT
Public health has enabling federal, state, or provincial legislation charging it with population health and the prevention and spread of communicable diseases, as well as various laboratory and oversight functions surrounding food, water, and (sometimes) the environment. Accordingly, health agencies may serve both helper and enforcer roles in society. Enforcing pest and nuisance issues is complicated and may involve taking people and/or entities to court. Therefore, the many legal aspects of entomology and pest control must be mastered by public health entomologists (PHEs). This chapter highlights various aspects of public health regulatory, political, and legal challenges.
