Adolescent Access to Firearms—This Is Definitely Our Lane

Abstract

Access to firearms is a well-recognized risk factor for homicide and suicide among youth in the United States. While homicides have declined, the rate of suicides with firearms increased 60% between 2007 and 2014, and most youth (82%) who end their lives by suicide with a firearm are not in

Upsurge in Firearm related Deaths among Children and Adolescents in the United States: An Alarming Trend

“…Access to firearms is a well-recognized risk factor for homicide and suicide among youths in the United States. [9] In a study identifying storage patterns for firearms within the homes of adolescents, more than half of adolescents reported that they could access a loaded gun in less than an hour (33.9% in less than 5 minutes) and even in homes where firearms were reported as locked, more than one-third of adolescents reported that they could access the firearm in less than an hour. [10] One of the potential reasons for the increase in firearmrelated violence during the pandemic could be increased stress and loneliness arising from prolonged home stay due to lockdowns and isolation and quarantine measures.…”