Reply #29: guns and suicides [View All]

[jimsteuben]

"Availability of a gun can expediate the fatal decision for those who make an impulsive decision to suicide."

I agree. If you are determined to end your life, it is remarkably easy to point a weapon at your head and pull the trigger. I think that we can all agree that depressed teenages should not have access to firearms, but how would you codify that into law that would actually have a meaningful impact? The firearm and non-firearm rate of suicide among children age 15 and under was virtually unchanged in states that passed and maintained “safe storage” laws for four or more years. (J. Lott, “Accidental Deaths, Suicides, and Crime Safe Storage Gun Laws”, Yale Law School, 2000)

Also, see Charles L. Rich et al., "Guns and Suicide: Possible Effects of Some Specific Legislation," American Journal of Psychiatry 147 (1990): 342, which found, based on empirical investigation, that in the absence of guns, suicidal individuals turn to other methods (e.g., leaping from great heights) so that any reduction in gun suicides is almost perfectly offset in an increase in suicide by other means.