Noncommunicable conditions can’t be transmitted from person to person. But common noncommunicable conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, still pose significant health risks to a state’s population. A state may try to protect its residents by using public-health laws to reduce risk factors that increase the likelihood of dying from a noncommunicable condition. For instance, state public-health laws may target risk factors like tobacco or alcohol use, unhealthy diets,...