By decrying the dangers of guns, the surgeon general takes a fraught, but necessary step to save lives | Editorial
The surgeon general said he was prompted to act by the rising death toll from guns, especially among children. But can he remove politics from the gun debate?
Kudos to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for stating what has been painfully clear to so many Americans: Gun violence is a national public health crisis.
From suicides to mass killings to daily gun violence. More than half of U.S. adults have either been personally or had a family member impacted by a gun-related incident. Tens of thousands of families have experienced the death of loved ones. The physical and financial loss is felt by immediate survivors in cities, rural towns, and suburban communities for years to come.
In recent years, the gun crisis has only worsened.
Indeed, the number of firearm deaths in the United States increased by 43% between 2010 and 2020, topping 45,000 deaths by the end of the decade. Nearly 60% of the gun deaths were suicides, underscoring the public health crisis.
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The impact of gun violence on children and teenagers is particularly alarming. The number of children and teens killed by guns jumped 50% between 2019 and 2021. As a result, guns are now the leading cause of death among those age 19 and under.
Across the country an average of 134 people die from gun violence every day — one death every 11 minutes. Shootings and homicides are down dramatically in Philadelphia, yet more than 1,200 people were wounded and an additional 400 were killed last year.
But gun violence is not just in cities. In fact, the rate of gun deaths is higher in many rural parts of the country. As gun sales have soared in recent years, so have the number of deaths.
The surgeon general said he was prompted to act by the rising death toll from guns, especially among children. Past public health warnings on issues such as the dangers of smoking and the benefits of using seat belts have helped to save millions of lives.
By making gun violence a public health issue, Murthy hoped to remove politics from the debate.
“Firearm violence is a public health crisis and our failure to address it is a moral crisis,” Murthy said. “We have now reached the point where gun violence is the leading cause of death among kids and teens. That is something that we should never take as the new normal. There’s nothing normal about that.”
Indeed, among more developed countries, the U.S. is an outlier when it comes to gun violence. The gun homicide rate is 26 times that of other higher income countries.
Despite all the horrific statistics underscoring the gun crisis in America, Murthy’s announcement was met with instant politicization and pushback by gun advocacy groups.
National Rifle Association president Randy Kozuch wrote on X: “This is an extension of the Biden administration’s war on law-abiding gun owners.”
The Firearms Policy Coalition posted a vulgar response on X and called the surgeon general’s advisory a “joke.”
The irresponsible response by the gun rights groups is not a surprise. The NRA — whose previous longtime leader was found to have engaged in corruption and misconduct — has played the lead role in promoting America’s gun culture and opposing efforts to promote safety.
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Following a landmark 1993 study that found keeping a gun at home increased the chances of getting killed there — rather than keeping people safe — the NRA worked to block federal funding for firearm injury prevention research.
In 1996, U.S. Rep. Jay Dickey of Arkansas spearheaded legislation that essentially halted funding for gun research — a move he later regretted. A 2017 study found gun violence was the least researched issue among leading causes of death.
The funding ban was recently loosened after nearly a quarter century. Gathering data about suicides, mass shootings, and other gun deaths can help inform policy makers on steps that can improve gun safety while protecting gun rights.
Murthy’s report calls for increased funding for gun violence research, safe firearm storage, and violence intervention programs. He also backed more access to mental health care and substance treatment, while expanding background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons.
The majority of Americans support such commonsense gun safety measures. The question now is what — if anything — will be done about this shameful public health crisis.