Gun violence is a public health crisis, says Surgeon General

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis on Tuesday, noting a rise in firearm-related injuries and deaths. His call follows a summer marked by mass shootings and a 2022 record of over 48,000 gun deaths.

Murthy says the advisory aims to shift the discourse on gun violence from politics to public health, paralleling the anti-smoking campaign of 1964.

The gun advisory points out that suicide by gun rates have increased by nearly 70% for those between the ages of 10 and 14, highlighting that children and youth are particularly affected by gun violence.

The note highlights the need for banning automatic rifles, imposing universal background checks, industry regulation, public space restrictions, and safe storage laws, all requiring Congressional legislation.

Although some states may adopt these measures, broad implementation faces resistance, especially from the gun lobby and Republicans.

Murthy has previously addressed health trends like loneliness and social media’s mental health impact on youth, calling for warning labels on social media.

America experienced more than 600 mass shooting incidents each year between 2020 and 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive.