Section 2720. Legislative declaration

The  rising  incidence of heart
  disease, strokes and hypertension over the past twenty years has  caused
  increasing  awareness  and  concern  among  public  health officials and
  private practitioners. It is imperative that new concepts  be  developed
  to  combat  the  problems  of  heart disease, stroke and hypertension by
  attempting to reduce the causes leading to these diseases.  The  program
  provided  by  this  article is designed to prevent heart disease, stroke
  and hypertension by concentrating on the  elimination  of  risk  factors
  associated  therewith.  In  order  to  provide  for  the  protection and
  promotion of the health of the inhabitants of the state, the  department
  of  health  shall  have the central and comprehensive responsibility for
  the development and administration of the state's policy with respect to
  the conduct of scientific  investigation  and  research  concerning  the
  causes, prevention, treatment and care of hypertension.