Fight Gun Suicides with Smart Gun Control
- par: Care2.com
- destinataire: State Legislators
When people say they're afraid of flying, friends often say "it's more dangerous to get into your car every day than it is to be in an airplane." It's a good point: driving fatalities are one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United States. Except in five states (and soon to be more), where the number of gun deaths surged ahead.
Utah is ground zero for this alarming trend. The state's high number of gun deaths aren't a result of violent crime, but from suicides using a gun they or a family member legality obtained.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among Utah teenagers, and many experts blame the state's easy access to firearms. In fact, in Utah in 2011, there were more gun suicides than traffic deaths.
Utah's legislature is considering a number of anti-bullying measures to help troubled teens. But by ignoring guns, they're missing a huge opportunity to save lives.
Tell your state legislature to enact smart gun control to stop the spike in gun suicides.
Dear [Decision Maker],
I was alarmed to learn that in a growing number of states, gun deaths are outpacing traffic deaths as the leading cause of preventable deaths. What's more, many of these deaths aren't from violent crime, but rather a surge in gun suicides with a firearm legally obtained by the individual or a family member.
Restricting access to lethal weapons is a crucial part of reversing this trend, but thus far, many lawmakers are reluctant to treat this as more than an issue of bullying. Please, lead the way and push for smart gun control to save lives.
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