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. 2017 Jun;107(6):929-937.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.303712. Epub 2017 Apr 20.

US Public Opinion on Carrying Firearms in Public Places

Julia A Wolfson  1 , Stephen P Teret  1 , Deborah Azrael  1 , Matthew Miller  1
Affiliations

US Public Opinion on Carrying Firearms in Public Places

Julia A Wolfson et al. Am J Public Health. 2017 Jun.

Abstract

Objectives: To estimate US public opinion, overall and by gun ownership status, about the public places where legal gun owners should be allowed to carry firearms.

Methods: We fielded an online survey among 3949 adults, including an oversample of gun owners and veterans, in April 2015. We used cross-tabulations with survey weights to generate nationally representative estimates.

Results: Fewer than 1 in 3 US adults supported gun carrying in any of the specified venues. Support for carrying in public was consistently higher among gun owners than among non-gun owners. Overall, support for carrying in public was lowest for schools (19%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 16.7, 21.1), bars (18%; 95% CI = 15.9, 20.6), and sports stadiums (17%; 95% CI = 15.0, 19.5).

Conclusions: Most Americans, including most gun owners, support restricting public places legal gun owners can carry firearms. These views contrast sharply with the current trend in state legislatures of expanding where, how, and by whom guns can be carried in public. Recent state laws and proposed federal legislation that would force states to honor out-of-state concealed carry permits are out of step with American public opinion.

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Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Public Opinion on Where People Authorized to Carry Firearms Should Be Allowed to Bring Guns: US 2015 National Firearms Survey Note. Question text: “Other than police officers, do you think that people who are authorized to carry firearms in your community should be allowed to bring their guns to [the above listed locations].” Analysis based on weighted cross-tabulations using GfK-provided survey weights to produce nationally representative estimates. The sample size was n = 3949.
FIGURE 2—
FIGURE 2—
Public Agreement on Where People Authorized to Carry Firearms Should Be Allowed to Bring Guns by Gun Ownership Status: US 2015 National Firearms Survey Note. Question text: “Other than police officers, do you think that people who are authorized to carry firearms in your community should be allowed to bring their guns to [the above listed locations].” Results based on weighted cross-tabulations incorporating GfK-provided survey weights. Significance was assessed with χ2 statistics. The sample size was n = 3949. *P < .05; **P < .01; ***P < .001.
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