- U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has officially labeled firearm violence as a critical public health crisis in America, citing daily incidents where shootings injure at least four individuals across the nation. Dr. Murthy’s advisory calls for urgent policy actions, including bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, universal background checks for all gun purchases, increased funding for research on gun-related injuries and deaths, and improved access to mental health services and trauma care for survivors of firearm violence. In 2022 alone, over 48,000 Americans died from gun-related causes, with suicides comprising a significant portion of these fatalities. Dr. Murthy’s declaration underscores the profound and widespread impact of firearm violence, particularly on youth, and aims to galvanize a comprehensive public health response to mitigate its devastating effects. (Articles here, here, here, and here)
July 16, 2024
Public Health/Prevention | Tea Leaves