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Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Lucinda Shupe, Division Director of Information Services

BB: What is your environmental mandate, and how do you feel you best meet it?

LS: The agency’s responsibilities consist of protecting and promoting health inside the state, and preventing disease and health-related injuries. We meet this mandate by producing environmental reports and policy initiatives. For instance, Environmental Issues and Cancer by Katherine Squibb, Phil Heard, Christopher Loffredo, and Katherine Farrell helps educate the community on the relationship between the environment and the acquiring of fatal disease. Research and education can go a long ways in protecting the public.

BB: What policies have you created that directly impact the community you serve?

LS: Another example would be the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008. Smoke-related environmental concerns are important. An individual can not be made to stop smoking, but when it comes to public space, laws and restrictions at the state level have come into play. Maryland is no exception. Community businesses are obliged to prohibit public smoking in all indoor areas as a result of this legislation.

BB: What policies have you created that particularly impact youth?

LS: The prohibition by owners of tanning devices to serve minors, unless with parental consent, or with a prescription, is an environmental safeguard stewarded by the agency.

BB: What issues relating to waste and the environment can you discuss?

LS: The impact on the public’s health by mistreatment and handling of waste is something we take very seriously. Significant inroads have been made by the agency to counter such problems. Again I refer you to our research and educational strength. Claire Nguyen, Ginny Seyler, and Sharmi Das’ 2006 Medical Waste in Maryland Report is a positive example. MDHMH is doing its part to protect and promote environmental health in the state. This report focuses on biohazards associated with medical facilities and our responsibilities to protect and promote health inside the state are carried out. Preventing disease and health-related injury is greater accomplished by such reports.