Pediatrians group repeats call for gun ban

 
The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) continues its support for tighter federal regulation of
firearms.
 
On Dec. 19, the group, claiming 60,000 members, wrote a  letter to President Obama calling for new federal legislation that bans assault weapons sales and the sale of high-capacity magazines, strengthens mandatory waiting periods and background checks for all gun purchases, and promotes strict gun safety policies.

 AAP President Thomas K. McInerny, MD, FAAP, said  the policy is a continuation of an advocacy  report the group
issued in October.

That report found that although rates have declined since the AAP issued the original policy statement in 1992,
firearm-related deaths continue as 1 of the top 3 causes of death in American youth ages 15 to 19. The firearm-associated death rate among youth ages 15 to 19 has fallen from its peak of 27.8 deaths per 100 000 in 1994 to 11.4 per
100 000 in 2009, driven by an unexplained decline in firearm homicide  rates.
 
However, the AAP says the rate remains unacceptably high, so it is recommending the regulation of the manufacture,
sale, purchase, ownership, and use of firearms; a ban on semiautomatic assault  weapons; and the strongest possible regulations of handguns for civilian  use.

Interestingly enough, the AAP did not  provide any data justifying its call for a ban on so-called “assault”rifles, and
they did not appear in the statistics, which dated back to  2004:

 “It is estimated that 57 million Americans  owned 283 million firearms in 2004, representing 38% of all households and 26%  of all adults having or owning at least 1 gun. Of these, 60% were long guns and  the remaining 40% were handguns. Of the handguns, 50% were revolvers, 35% were  semiautomatic pistols, and 15% were other  types.”

The AAP maintains that the "most reliable and effective measure to prevent firearm-related injuries in children and
adolescents" is to make sure there are no weapons available. Failing that, the AAP strongly supports safe gun storage (guns unloaded and locked, ammunition  locked separately).

Gatling Gun Removal Service ™ also  strongly supports safe gun storage. That is why we make it easy to relocate
unwanted, unused, or improperly stored guns to a more secure facility. Gatling  does NOT support any type of ban, confiscation, or additional regulation of  firearms. 

- Dr.  Gatling