Implementing three specific state laws at the federal level could reduce firearm mortality by as much as 90 percent, according to a new study.
The research, published in The Lancet medical journal, was led by Dr. Bindu Kalesan, assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University.
The researchers studied the effects of 25 total state firearm laws across the country and found that nine of those laws increased violence, nine prevented a number of fatalities and seven made no difference.
The three measures most strongly observed to reduce gun related fatality were: firearm identification, background checks on firearm purchases and background checks on ammunition.
Firearm identification would call for guns to have chips placed in them that would allow authorities to trace a bullet back to a specific firearm.
Background checks, while required by federal gun resellers, are not required in private transactions, estimated to make up 40 percent of gun sales.
This loophole — known as the Brady Loophole — allows for those interested in seeking a weapon to bypass a background check by going through a private distributor.
The issue of gun violence has been steadily increasing over the years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data last year that demonstrated cars and firearms are now killing people at the same rate for the first time in 60 years.
Furthermore, a recent report by the FBI found that there were roughly 10 more mass shootings per year from 2007 to 2013 than there were from 2000 to 2006.
A report published by researchers at Harvard University also found incidents of mass shootings have essentially tripled since 2011, contrary to many media assertions that the rates have not changed.
Arizona’s gun violence mortality rate is one of the highest in the nation. In fact, the gun death rate for Arizona is 40 percent higher than the national average.
This could be related to Arizona’s lackadaisical gun laws.
The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a national public interest law group, ranked Arizona gun’s laws with an “F.” The state’s laws were also ranked 47th in terms of strength of gun laws.
The number of people murdered by guns in Arizona between 2001 and 2010 was 3,303, nearly twice as many casualties compared to those who died in combat in Afghanistan.
The Arizona Senate, however, is seeking to expand firearm ownership rights for residents of Arizona by advancing measures through legislation.
One of this bills, House Bill 2338, would allow firearms to be carried in public areas adjacent to schools. HB 2446, another bill, could potentially legalize dangerous weapons such as bombs, grenades and poison gas at the state level.
These bills, among others, have recently been approved by the house and will need final senate approval before heading to Gov. Doug Ducey for approval.
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