What previously would have been condemned as government intrusion is now justified as necessary to protect the public health. State legislatures are introducing bills to criminalize the spread of AIDS, and public support for such sanctions is evident. The paper cites a December 1985 "Los Angeles Times" national poll in which approximately half of the respondents favored criminal sanctions for a person with AIDS having sex with another person. It covers the possible consequences of these sanctions on those of the high-risk groups and on those who associate with them. Fear of harassment may drive the disease underground, increasing the occurrence of misdiagnosis and late diagnosis. The paper covers secondary causes of AIDS transmission such as biting, spitting and blood donating; the constitutional right to privacy; existing venereal disease laws; and case histories, including media accounts of HIV-infected persons. It recommends educational campaigns, civil sanctions and public health interventions rather than coercive government intrusions to stop the spread of AIDS. 88 notes.