Gun violence is a public health problem in the US, says health chief

Gun violence is a public health problem in the United States exacerbated by the growing number of deaths and injuries from firearms, the country’s chief public health officer said Tuesday.

Dr. Vivek Murthy’s warning comes shortly after a bloody weekend in which dozens of people were killed or wounded by gunfire.

“People want to walk through their neighborhood and feel safe,” the US surgeon general said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “America should be a country where we should all be able to go to school, to work, to the supermarket, to temple, without having to worry that it will put our lives at risk.”

To reduce deaths from gun violence, Murthy called for banning automatic rifles, introducing universal background checks for gun purchases, regulating the industry, passing laws restricting the use of guns in public spaces, and penalizing those who do not stockpile firearms. safely hold your weapons.

None of those suggestions can come true without action from Congress, which is often reluctant to pass gun control measures. Some state legislatures, however, have already approved or could consider some of the public health director’s proposals.

Separately, the White House reported Tuesday that more than 500 people, including some linked to transnational cartels and organized crime groups, have been charged with gun trafficking and other crimes under a landmark gun law signed by the White House. President Joe Biden two years ago.

The report obtained by the AP on the implementation of the Bipartisan Safe Communities Act adds that more detailed background checks under the new law prevented about 800 firearm sales to people under 21 who should not have them.

The law is a historic achievement for the Democratic president, and revelations about how it has been implemented are coming to light as he seeks re-election in November. But Biden himself admits it hasn’t been enough, and has called for stricter background checks and a ban on assault rifles.

Murthy said there is “a general consensus” that gun violence is a problem, citing a survey last year that found most Americans worry at least occasionally that a loved one could be hurt by a gun. .

More than 48,000 Americans were killed by firearms in 2022.

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