”Firearm violence has become the number one cause of death among children and adolescents.”
The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has declared gun violence a public health emergency.
“Today, for the first time in the history of our office, I am issuing a Surgeon General’s advisory on firearm violence. It outlines the urgent threat firearm violence poses to the health and well-being of our country.”
He’s advocating for the banning of automatic rifles, universal background checks, and stricter regulations on gun storage, and he’s calling on Congress to make it happen. During his announcement, he pointed to the harm caused by firearm-related incidents, especially in Black communities.
“Fifty-four percent of adults in America report that they or a family member have experienced a firearm-related incident. Black individuals endure the highest rates of firearm homicides, while suicide rates are highest among veterans, older white individuals, and younger American Indian and Alaska Native people.”
The American Academy of Family Physicians praised the declaration, while the National Rifle Association criticized the move.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
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