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. 2013 Jan;103(1):27-31.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300964. Epub 2012 Nov 15.

Suicide, guns, and public policy

E Michael Lewiecki  1 , Sara A Miller
Affiliations

Suicide, guns, and public policy

E Michael Lewiecki et al. Am J Public Health. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

Suicide is a serious public health concern that is responsible for almost 1 million deaths each year worldwide. It is commonly an impulsive act by a vulnerable individual. The impulsivity of suicide provides opportunities to reduce the risk of suicide by restricting access to lethal means. In the United States, firearms, particularly handguns, are the most common means of suicide. Despite strong empirical evidence that restriction of access to firearms reduces suicides, access to firearms in the United States is generally subject to few restrictions. Implementation and evaluation of measures such as waiting periods and permit requirements that restrict access to handguns should be a top priority for reducing deaths from impulsive suicide in the United States.

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References

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    1. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Center for Gun Policy and Research. Available at: http://www.jhsph.edu/gunpolicy. Accessed November 12, 2011.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide: risk and protective factors. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/riskprotectivefactors.html. Accessed April 12, 2011.

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