Please read the @ACPinternists paper on firearms & health that led to the @NRA’s demands that we stay in our lane. Nothing radical in it, just reasonable proposals to stem gun violence annals.org/aim/fullarticl…. As the paper’s co-author, let me summarize. #ThisIsOurLane
1. All of our recommendations are supported by a comprehensive review of research on the causes of gun violence, & policies that could reduce it. Where the evidence is limited, we said so.
2. All of our recommendations are consistent with 2A rights, including the Supreme Court decision in Heller. 3. All of our recommendations were reviewed and approved by ACP physician-members who serve on our health policy committee, several of whom are gun owners.
4. Our paper met @AnnalsofIM rigorous editorial standards for publication.
5. We recommended that states pass laws to require adults who have guns in their homes to store them safely and securely. So they don’t end up in kids’ hands, or others who might use them to harm themselves or others.
6. We said states should pass extreme risk protection laws, so families can get a ruling from an impartial judge within 72 hours to temporarily remove guns from another family member at imminent risk of using them to harm themselves or others. With due process.
7. We said physicians should ask about and discuss gun safety with patients who choose to have guns in their homes. Like they would with anything that could pose a risk to their patents’ health.
8. We recommended research on smart gun technologies to prevent non-owners from using them.
9. We said sales of military-style guns with specific features designed to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, should be banned, to reduce lethality in mass shootings. And large capacity magazines that allow shooters to continue firing without reloading.
10. We said states should not be required to accept concealed carry permits from other states with weaker standards to obtain such permits. For instance, a state that requires gun safety training should not have to accept permits from ones that don’t.
11. We said that access to mental health needs to be expanded. While recognizing that few people with mental health issues will use guns to harm others; they are more likely to be victims of gun violence.
12. We said that loopholes in the background check system that allows domestic violence offenders to buy and own guns should be closed. Such as domestic violence offenders with temporary restraining orders.
13. We said that there needs to universal background checks including for sales at gun shows.
14. And we said there needs to be dedicated and increase funding for research on gun violence; current restrictions should be lifted.
15. Our recommendations won’t stop all gun violence, and we say they would stop any particular incident. But taken all together, they could greatly reduce the number of people killed or injured by guns from homicide & attempted homicide; suicide; and from accidents & negligence
16. That’s why we will continue to speak out. #ThisIsOurLane.
