Did You Know The Surgeon General Actually Has NO POWER To Issue A “Surgeon General’s Warning”?

You learn something new every day.

Today I learned the infamous “Surgeon General” really has virtually no powers of his own.

I learned this because this story was going viral today:

The U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, announced on Monday that he would push for a warning label on social media platforms advising parents that using the platforms might damage adolescents’ mental health.

Warning labels — like those that appear on tobacco and alcohol… pic.twitter.com/fB7M1woDyT

— Pepe Deluxe 🐸 (@deluxe_pepe) June 17, 2024

But when I saw that I was confused because this guy IS the Surgeon General!

So why not just issue the warning?

Why write an Op-Ed about it in the New York Times?

So I learned the Surgeon General actually does not actually have the authority to do this on his own.

He has to get legislative approval of Congress to do it.

What a joke!

So the “Surgeon General’s Warning” on all these products should really say “Congressional Warning”.

Here’s how it works:

The Surgeon General’s warnings are part of public health policies that often require legislative backing to be enforceable. While the Surgeon General can make recommendations and raise awareness about health issues, implementing regulations, such as those on tobacco products, usually requires congressional action to create or amend laws. This ensures that there is a legal framework supporting these warnings and making them mandatory for companies to follow. Congress has the authority to pass laws that the Surgeon General’s office then helps to implement and enforce.

So what am I saying?

Do I think we need to give the Surgeon General more powers?

Issue more warnings?

Of course not!

In fact, here’s what I posted to Twitter:

Did you know the Surgeon General actually has NO POWER to issue a “Surgeon General’s Warning”?

It’s true. It has to go through Congress.

So what the Hell do we need the “Surgeon General” for then?

It’s all just smoke and mirrors. All of it.

And you’re paying his salary for him to live HIGH ON THE HOG off the public dole.

FIRE ALL THESE ASSHOLES!!!!!!!

Shrink Government by 95%!

Did you know the Surgeon General actually has NO POWER to issue a "Surgeon General's Warning"?

It's true. It has to go through Congress.

So what the Hell do we need the "Surgeon General" for then?

It's all just smoke and mirrors. All of it.

And you're paying his salary for… pic.twitter.com/5UkLDr90HO

— DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) June 17, 2024

What a total joke, and I bet with all the benefits and all rolled in, I bet the Surgeon General makes more money than you do each year!

All living of our tax dollars!

FIRE ALL OF THESE LOSERS!

Here is what the Surgeon General can do (not much):

The Surgeon General of the United States, as the nation’s chief public health officer, has several key responsibilities and authorities, although they are more advisory and educational in nature rather than regulatory. These include:

1. Public Health Advocacy: The Surgeon General can issue reports, public health advisories, and warnings on health issues to inform the public and policymakers. These communications often influence public opinion and policy, but they do not carry the force of law.
2. Health Education: The Surgeon General leads national campaigns to promote health and wellness. This includes initiatives on smoking cessation, vaccinations, disease prevention, and healthy lifestyle choices.
3. Advisory Role: The Surgeon General advises the President, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and other government officials on public health matters. This can shape policy decisions and legislative priorities.
4. Overseeing the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps: The Surgeon General is the operational head of the USPHS Commissioned Corps, a group of over 6,000 uniformed health professionals who respond to public health emergencies and provide health services to underserved populations.
5. Emergency Response: The Surgeon General can mobilize the Commissioned Corps to respond to public health emergencies, such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and other crises.

While the Surgeon General has significant influence and can initiate public health campaigns, the office does not have regulatory power. For binding regulations and mandates, legislative action by Congress or rule-making by other federal agencies (like the Food and Drug Administration or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is required.

Tell me why we need to pay for this again?

We don’t.