While the debate will most certainly go on for many years to come, there’s a new report that says yes, gun control is an effective method when it comes not only keeping weapons off the street, but also preventing child-related gun deaths as well.
As a matter of fact, the new report says there are less child gun deaths in states that have stricter gun laws.
According to ABC News, a study conducted by the Journal of Pediatrics found that children living in states with stricter gun laws have fewer gun-related deaths. This was the first study to look at gun laws in relation to child deaths and it reveals that there’s an important link between the two.
Dr. Monika Goyal, the lead study author and an associate professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine, says that more than 10 children die from firearms each day, which is a concerning statistic.
She explains, “This work is further contributing to the growing evidence that firearm legislation can be effective at reducing injury and death among children.”
The study also compared the United States to that of many high-income countries and found that the U.S. had both the highest rate of gun ownership but the weakest gun laws. It’s also been noted that within the U.S., gun laws differ in each state.
The researchers in the study also looked at states that had universal background checks when buying guns or ammunition and what kind of laws are required before a gun is owned. While each state varied, universal background checks for gun purchasing were the most common laws seen.
The study also says that over 21,000 children across the country died from gun-related incidents between the years of 2011 and 2015. This included teens and young adults under the age of 21.
There were almost 15,000 deaths in kids aged 18-21 and a little over 6,600 deaths in children under the age of 18. However, those states that had universal background checks in place and sticker gun laws had a 35 percent lower rate of child gun deaths.
In response to the study, the National Ridge Association of America said in a tweet that “self-important anti-gun doctors” should stay in their lane. The association did not make any further comments about the child and gun-related death statistics.