U.S. Surgeon General Declares Firearm Violence a National Health Emergency

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has issued a national health crisis advisory, highlighting the grave issue of gun violence in America.

The advisory outlines the alarming rise in firearm violence over recent years. It states that gun violence is now the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the U.S., surpassing other causes tragically.

More than just physical harm, the advisory points to the cascading effects on mental health. It emphasizes that gun violence has a rippling impact on families, communities, and public mental well-being. With nearly 60% of U.S. adults expressing significant concern about firearm violence, the issue has become a collective societal trauma.

The release accompanying the advisory notes, “The effects of the public health crisis extend well beyond physical health – it has led to a collective trauma across society that warrants heightened attention.”

Reactions to the advisory have been polarized. Many healthcare professionals have lauded the move. The President of the American Academy of Family Physicians stated that family physicians have long witnessed the devastating impact of firearm violence on patients and communities. Conversely, the National Rifle Association criticized the advisory, framing it as an attack on lawful gun owners by the Biden Administration.

While Murthy’s announcement doesn’t translate to immediate policy changes, it aims to spur more public health research on gun violence, reminiscent of past public health campaigns against tobacco use.

The advisory concludes with a call to action: “A public health approach can guide our strategy and actions, as it has done in the past with successful efforts to address tobacco-related disease and motor vehicle crashes. The safety and well-being of future generations are at stake.”

The numbers from the advisory are stark:

• #1 – rank of firearm deaths among causes of death for U.S. children and adolescents from 2020 to 2022
• 2020 – the first year firearm deaths surpassed motor vehicle deaths for this group
• 54% – U.S. adults reporting personal or family incidents involving firearms
• 21% – have been threatened with a firearm
• 19% – have a family member killed by a firearm, including suicide
• 17% – have witnessed someone being shot
• 20% – increase in firearm-related suicides from 2012 to 2022
• 68% – increase in firearm suicides for children aged 10-14
• 36.4 – firearm deaths per million U.S. children and adolescents in 2019
• 6.4 – the rate in Canada, the nation with the second highest rate
• More than 600 – mass shooting incidents per year in the U.S. from 2020-2023
• Less than 400 – average mass shooting incidents per year from 2015-2018
• 79% – U.S. adults stressing over potential mass shootings
• 51% – teens aged 14-17 fearing a school shooting
• 33% – fear preventing attendance at certain events or places
• 56% – unintentional firearm deaths among children and adolescents occurring at home
• $878 million – federal spending on motor vehicle crash research from 2008-17
• $12 million – spending on firearm injury prevention research for children and adolescents during the same period

These figures underscore the urgency of Murthy’s call to address gun violence as a public health priority, signaling a need for comprehensive strategies to protect future generations.